I loved The Starlight Heir! This was a very well done and lush romantasy debut. I enjoyed the mythology aspect woven into the story as well. Our library purchased this book and we have recommended it to patrons looking for romantasy.

I wanted to love this book. I really wanted to love it.
but I didn't

The cover is stunningly beautiful.

The synopsis and premise of the book sounded right up my alley. But unfortunately that's where it stopped.

The main character very much acts the way you would expect the MC in a YA novel to act, despite being an adult. IT reads like a YA novel, but to my knowledge it's not. Suraya was incredibly naive and oblivious to quite literally EVERYTHING right in front of her. I didn't get it.

Despite the setting of the novel, characters would use phrases or expressions from modern day contemporary times and it was honestly quite jarring and pulled me out of the novel setting. Things like "resting bitch face" or "thick thighs save lives" or "princesplaining" - that last one was quite cringey.

this one just wasnt a hit with me.

A fun, fast-paced Romantacy! I enjoyed the story and the characters Amalie created as well as the relationship between Suraya and Roshan. I thought the arc of Suraya's character throughout the novel was well done. The worldbuilding and magic system were very intriguing.

However, I do wish there had been more tension between Suraya and Roshan before they got together, and I felt that there wasn't enough reason, at least from Suraya's POV (even though the reason is revealed later), for her and Roshan to not be together, which made the relationship fall a bit short.

The novel was mostly focused on the romance rather than fantasy, and I felt myself wishing we got a bit more plot-wise.


3.5 Stars

2.5

I had the opportunity to hear Amalie Howard speak on a panel last fall and she spoke about this book and it sounded interesting and she spoke very passionately about it, but unfortunately, I didn’t really work for me and I’m sad.

I think Howard has a very voicey writing style, and in the one historical that I’ve read from her it didn’t bother me because it was very clearly a historical with modern sensibilities like it was a take on 90s romcom movies but make it Regency. Here, though it felt too Not Fantasy so I struggled to care about the fantasy elements and the world wasn’t explained enough for me to really care about the fantasy elements, but I also didn’t really care about the characters enough to care about the romance.

To be completely honest I finished this book 2 days ago and I don’t really remember much of what happened. Ultimately very sad that it didn’t work for me, but I think it will work for the romantasy fans who don’t really care about the fantasy part. And in the meantime, I will finish her Taming of the Dukes series, and maybe check out some of her other historicals.

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard should be getting a lot more love from fans of Fourth Wing, The Hurricane Wars and even SJM readers.

I loved how Howard built her fantasy world with elements from different cultures, while also maintaining a readable and well written story. I could not put this down, and the chemistry between Suraya and Roshan was red hot. I loved her writing style in Queen Bee, and it shines in this genre.

This is the first in a series. Don’t overlook this if you read romantasy- I think it’s a strong start that has the potential to get better and better.

Thank you Amalie Howard, @avonbooks @netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion. I can’t wait for the sequel!

QOTD: What are you reading?
#romantasy #fantasy #thestarlightheir #amaliehoward

Absolutely stunning and brilliant writing! I loved the magic system so much! Our FMC is a badass. At first I thought this book was going to be another "trials" book but the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

I think this is maybe YA more than adult but the adult themes make it adult - it's the writing though and the way the story flows that makes it more YA. I enjoyed the world building - and the characters were very likable and relatable. However, I wish that the relationships had just a bit more depth in them, I think then the story would have held more of an emotional attachment or reaction with it. Even so the book is great. I loved the mythology in it and the mix of other things as well. I look forward to more from Howard in this genre.

I've been a big fan of Amelie Howard's historical romances so I was so hyped for her first romantasy. And overall I did like this, but to me it lacked a lot of her character development and emotional connection her historicals usually have.

If ‘The Selection,’ ‘Spark of the Everflame,’ and ‘Red Queen,’ had a baby, it would be this book.
You have all of our favorite tropes: marriage competition, enemies to lovers, broody MMC, underdog FMC (who of course is actually a badass), chosen mates, fated destiny, etc etc.
Overall, I really enjoyed the storyline and am really looking forward to book 2. I have a feeling there will be some big revelations to come.

When Suraya is invited to the capital city to be a candidate for the bride to the crown prince, she decides that while she isn’t bride material it would be a fun journey to experience. Suraya never could have expected the adventure that comes as the rebel militia attacks and she finds herself on the run with the prince’s illegitimate half-brother, Roshan.

This book was the perfect read for today’s political climate as it explored the darkness of corrupt leaders and provided hope through the magic of the stars…

“There will always be those who covet power - those who pursue the lie to disable and disrupt. You will forever remain one of the champions of light and beacon to those wandering few who seek the truth.”

I always have trouble initially starting fantasy novels as the world-building aspect can be difficult to grasp. Still, the challenges presented in the capital city kept me intrigued from the start as well as the budding relationship with Roshan.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy romantasy novels with some spice, corrupt kingdoms, and strong FMCs.

Thank you Avon for the physical ARC for review consideration!

I have always been a fan of Greek mythology so I was very interested in this Persian Mythology story and I was not disappointed! I could not put this down and I can't wait for the world to enjoy it and see it continue. The main characters had great energy and were both likeable. The romance was eh, but I'm not one for only wanting romance and juicy stuff. The tension was 🤌🏻 though. Thank you to Netgalley for this one and I will definitely be buying a copy to have my own!

I feel like three stars is a bit generous of a rating from me. The Starlight Heir didn’t have many unique elements and felt like your usual cut and dry adult romantasy where the MMC “betrays” the FMC through lies of omission for her own protection. I’m SO tired of this trope, please put me out of my misery!!! I think the magic system has a ton of potential, but the lack of expansion or explanation caused it to fall short. Basically, this felt like every other romantic fantasy out there and nothing really made it stand out to me.

Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

I think this is officially the end of the road for me a romantasy which is unfortunate because I really enjoy fantasy and romance but I just can't read the same poorly written characters in an under developed word over and over again. And can we stop with the slutty bisexual characters for obligatory queer rep?!? Why does everyone have a sassy bi friend who sleeps with anyone with a pulse. (No shade to being bi or even being bi and slutty, I myself am bi I just can't keep reading this exact same one dimensional character over and over again.)

I honestly hope this series gets better and romantasy in general finds it's footing because I really want to enjoy it but this just felt so surface level YA I'm not like other girls from the jump and I could not get into the story or characters at all.

The world building a bit hard to get into, but I did enjoy the story! I wish we got more of the shadow daddy god though! I’m guessing in the next book we will get more info on him.

This book had a lot of promise—a badass bladesmith, secret magic, a broody love interest, and a dark god thrown into the mix. The setup was intriguing, and the romance had just the right amount of spice (not too much, not too little—it hit the mark).

That said, I had a hard time really getting into the world. The characters felt modern, like they were straight out of our world, and the way they talked didn’t match the whole fantasy vibe. It made it hard to stay immersed, and honestly, it made the story feel a bit young. It had this YA energy, even though it tried to lean more adult in some parts.

On the plus side, the story moved fast, and there were plenty of twists to keep me interested. Suraya had that fiery, independent streak I liked, and Roshan brought the moody, mysterious vibes. But overall, I wanted more depth to the world and the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book!

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard wasn’t all the blurb promised it would be. On that note, editors need to be more ambiguous in the cover information; the entire plot of this book is blurbed on the inside cover and is better than the book itself. I don’t know if the sharp decline in the quality of writing seen recently is due to an influx of subpar agents/editors to the industry, or just a defining attribute of books labeled as “Romantasy”. There is no tack or skill to the writing in this book. The characters are shallow, the plot is full of holes, and the smut is inexcusably bad. Topped off by amateur writing full of modern vernacular and genZ slang, this book has a beautiful cover but nothing more to recommend it.

Until Next Time,
MC

Thank you NetGalley for access to this ARC.

My favorite element in The Starlight Heir has to be the banter. Whether that's between Suraya and her best friend or some electric tension filled banter, it's my favorite. If you're a fan of matchmaking competitions, then you have to pick up this one. It's also great if you like reading books where someone doesn't know yet their hidden power, how important they are. It's a journey of self-discovery. My second favorite element was the rebellion and these forces who want freedom, but whose cause is the best? The most right?

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is a Romantasy. That term to describe a book has many meanings but, for me, the top attributes are open door intimacy, romance centered plot, and subpar writing. This book hits all three of those markers.

It opened already in the action. I do not mind being dropped into the world and the plot is already plotting. Drop-and-Plot as a writing tactic can be incredibly advantageous to a detailed and vast world, where the lore needs to be established quickly so a reader is engaged. It is a “show me” rather than a “tell me” technique of writing that good writers can pull off. Howard almost gets there but loses it almost immediately. By the end of the first chapter she has given us a FMC lacking any type of personality and a number of plot avenues (six that I counted), but no world-building or actual lore for the fantasy kingdom she is creating. She is using a cultural and historical basis that becomes somewhat evident as one continues to read, but mashed with completely fantastical elements and magic. There is no context to how it all fits together and so the foundation of the plot(s) is ambiguous.

Modern vernacular and TikTok-isms are rampant throughout this book, making it hard to remember it’s supposed to be a fantasy. I stopped noting them after chapter 3 because they are so frequently present. The formality of the writing and dialogue switches from quirky, adorkable Disney Princess with a sailor’s mouth to semi serious, Regency Era Mumbai with a hint of Prince of Persia but still cursing like a sailor, so often, and so jarringly, that it is impossible to stay in the flow of the plot, if there was a plot to really follow.

If you are reading for a Romantasy, this probably won’t phase you. It might be exactly what you want.

If you are reading for a fantasy romance, just read the blurb and you will know the entire plot. As it says, she “suspects” she’s the Starlight Heir, which is like weeding your kitchen garden with a backhoe and suspecting it might go poorly. Really, ya think?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

It only took a little bit into the story to get sucked into the world Amalie has created in The Starlight Heir. The middle may have dragged slightly in its transition from the deadly competition to being on the run but once the slowburn got to burning, I was sucked back into the faster pace of the story hurtling toward the explosive ending.

🩵lady blacksmith
💜hidden powers
🩵deadly betrothal games
💜rebellion
🩵illegitimate prince
💜kingdom fantasy
🩵forbidden romance

The rebellion is hidden much deeper than what our FMC can fully comprehend but in her journey with Roshan, she experiences just how far it has spread.

I love that Suraya is the one to make the illegitimate prince start to see that neither side—the monarchy nor the rebellion—is right in their way of handling the kingdom. That there must be another way that doesn’t cause the destruction of the kingdom and countless deaths of the innocent.

A lady blacksmith unaware of the hidden powers lingering in her very soul. Flirtatious illegitimate prince hiding his own secrets. I mean, this is a dynamic duo for sure 👏🏻👏🏻

“You’re such grace and steel combined, Suraya, like a jādū-forged blade steathed in silk.” Honestly such a good description of the FMC. She’s unsure and soft in some ways, naive about the world apart from what she’s been told. And then she’s also tough as nails via her occupation and training, stubborn in her ways. Multi-faceted, which I am here for.

It starts with a deadly competition under the guise of finding the Crown Prince a bride and spirals into revelations that send Suraya on the run with Roshan.

Fast-paced (for the most part). Light versus darkness. The part that grows will be the one you feed.
One trial after another. Blacksmith, contestant, hunted, prisoner, forced-betrothed, betrayed, Starkeeper, Setareh Framātāram. So many names for one woman to bear, and bear them she must throughout the different stages of this fantasy.

There’s talk of soul-bonds (aka fated mates) and chosen loves. I’m intrigued to see where the author will take the series not only in regards to the threat of a death god lingering but also for the romance as I feel not everything is set in stone for our FMC, despite the ending of this book 👀

The Starlight Heir is a fast-paced romantasy focusing on Suraya, a bladesmith, and Roshan, the bastard prince. Suraya is asked to attend a ball as part of his selection of possible brides. She meets the prince's brother upon arrival to the capital and cannot avoid interacting with him. Suraya begins to feel the pull of magic within her which is what the high price is truly searching for with this competition.

I really enjoyed this book and it hooked me from the start. I instantly fell for Roshan and liked the development of his relationship with Suraya. Although a lot of romantasies can seem the same, this one tried its best to stand out. I'll definitely read the rest of this series.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.