This was such a good read. I loved the storyline, and the world Sara has created. This is a well-written Egyptian-inspired New Adult Fantasy filled with magic, betrayal, adventure, love, and friendship.
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Syliva survived a massacre. She has lived her life since in hiding. Keeping her true identity, a secret from everyone around her. Syliva is the Jasad Heir, a princess with power beyond even her own understanding. What little of her people that are left are being hunted and killed because of their magic.
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Syliva in a moment of anger reveals her magic to the Heir of Nizahl, in order to save her life and her friends she agrees to compete in a deadly competition. She must win to gain her freedom, but she also must keep her true identity hidden.

Thank you to Orbit for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review!

“The Jasad Heir did burn in the Blood Summit. She was a better person. Susceptible to such notions as honor and virtue. She would have tried to save her kind. Protect them from the likes of you, even if it spelled her own destruction. But your Supreme killed her." I stroked a finger down the soldier's cheek. "And Sylvia replaced her. I do not heal. I do not lead." I tightened my hands and twisted sharply.
The snap of the soldier's neck echoed in the silent wood. "And unlike her, I am excellent at staying alive."

Yet, despite being hunted down just for having magic, Sylvia has none. It’s been bound up by her grandparents with cuffs. She can’t even use the thing that condemns her and her people to save herself.

How was it fair that Jasadis were condemned because of their magic but I couldn't even access the thing that doomed me? My magic had been trapped behind these cuffs since my childhood. I suppose my grandparents couldn't have anticipated dying and leaving the cuffs stuck on me forever.

This book was startling and poignant in its wider regard for people, politics, and power. How we are easily indoctrinated by the world we are brought up in. Interestingly, my recent coursework research has also been surrounding this, so the amount of ‘A-HAH’ and ‘SAY IT LOUDER’ moments I had were numerous.

"You ignore that each child enters a completely unique world, founded on different truths. We build our reality on the foundation our world sets for us. You entered a world where magic is corrosive and Jasadis are inherently evil. I entered one where turning a shoe into a dove made my mother laugh. Have you considered, in that infinite mind of yours, that the truly brilliant people are the ones who understand the realities we build were already built for us?"

Finally, I seem to be having a good streak with enemies-to-lovers which is normally something I don’t tend to enjoy. Like a few of my recent reads, this tantalising, murderous, stabbing slow burn had me hooked.

I would recommend this to fans of The Final Strife, Throne of Glass, and An Ember in the Ashes.

"His will is strong. It always is, in the self-righteous.”
“But the will of the damned is even stronger.”

the way my heart is beating so fast because um THAT ENDING??? im both excited and absolutely *terrified* for book 2. i need some news ANY NEWS PLEASE on a release date, how am i expected to wait?? you cannot make these characters and story have such a hold on me and expect me to be okay without book 2 in my hands right now. i am broken.

"When you choose who you are willing to fight for, you choose who you are."

from the very first chapter, The Jasad Heir immediately gripped me and caught me in its thralls. (like come on, how is it not hot for Sylvia to break a man's back in such a brutal way?? yes you read that right. girls covering up their murders!!! we love to see it and what a way to get someone hooked!!) but truly not one moment was i bored and was completely at these characters' mercy, your honor i am OBSESSED. the writing, the plot, the magic, the characters, the romance--literally everything about this story was so compelling and beautifully written, there is no doubt that this book has put me in a slump and i eagerly welcome this for once because i do not want to move on anytime soon. this is 100% an all time favourite book of mine. i mean i loved this so much that even before finishing it as i neared the end, i immediately ordered the Illumicrate edition because i absolutely need a SE of this masterpiece. i will most certainly be rereading The Jasad Heir so many times, which makes it all the more perfect because its THAT kind of book: one that can be reread over and over and you never get tired of it. if this doesnt tell you how loved this book is to me, then don't worry im not done.

She had the temperament of a deranged goose. Every interaction he’d shared with her had thoroughly convinced him he was not dealing with a stable woman.

it's impossible to write this review and not speak of the characters. Sylvia, my fierce, ruthless, gorgeous queen. i would lay down my life for her in a heartbeat, i just love every part of her. her strengths, her weaknesses, how she copes by rambling or making jokes, how she loves so fiercely despite trying not to show it, how she longs for a peaceful life where there are no expectations of her, how even when she tries to not feel the guilt it claws at her like it would any human, how hard she tries to build walls around feeling any sort or attachment for anything or anyone but really she feels so alone and theres so many layers of trauma and distrust to unpack my heart breaks for her. it's how she's so strong and cool and even in the face of her fear she fights. its how she has the temper of a deranged goose and its really such another lovable quality of her😂❤ and how her dry sarcasm and jokes are actually FUNNY?? the amount of times I laughed bye I dont think I've read about a MC that's made me laugh this many times, really what's not to love about her? i'm probably missing many other beautiful qualities in Sylvia, but truly her character is such a delight and feels so real, I just want to give her a big hug. It's no wonder Sefa and Marek were so willing to lay down their lives for her I mean who wouldn't?? and no surprise that a *certain* heir fell for Sylvia completely👀

“Arin is consumed by what he loves. If asked, he would get on his knees and let it kill him. He withholds his heart out of self-preservation."

which brings me to the other new love of my life: Arin of Nizhal!! From the moment he stabbed Sylvia in the leg and arm standing atop a horse saddle near the edge of a cliff... i knew it was true love. i too would happily be stabbed by Arin. and then when he caught her before she fell into the river, shielding her from any further damage, i was absolutely even more sure🥰

IM NOT BEING SARCASTIC BTW I LOVE HIM SO WHOLEHEARTEDLY. if that makes me completely unhinged, i welcome that. but truly his character is so!!! his need for organization, his attention to detail, his politeness, his brilliant mind, his bluntness, the dangerous air surrounding him, how hot he is--im completely at his mercy. there are so many layers to Arin's character and every time a piece of his guard broke, a new side of him was revealed and i just melted. like Arin's eyes softening?? i stopped breathing. Arin smiling?? i died. Arin laughing?? KILLED ME. Arin BLUSHING?$@#! just rip my heart of my chest already.

and THIS is what I call a true enemies to lovers marketed correctly!! not the "enemies to lovers" that's really hate to love and they're "enemies" but constantly think about how attractive the other is. i need that muderous tension between them!! i need that constant thinking of "oh how i want to kill him/her". the bloodthirstiness!! the electric and dangerous tension!! and it so served here.

The way he looks you at sometimes. Like you are a cliff with a fatal fall, and each day you move him closer to its edge.

Arin and Sylvia's dynamic was absolutely delicious and so so well written, the slowww burn was truly everything and their chemistry (THE ANGST??) was pure perfection. i would change nothing. (in fact please give me more i'm starving for more ArinSylvia scenes, my greedy, hopeless heart is begging for it) the way Arin was caught folding her clothes, handling her belongings with thoughtfulness and care and then Sylvia noticing that when Arin was in a good mood he ate with his right hand, and left when in a bad mood i mean just???🥹 her "Why do I even remember that?" please they are so gone for each other.
(view spoiler)

Love was not submission. It was not testing how far I could bend before I broke. Love was Sefa’s hand finding mine in the dark to reassure herself of my presence. Love was Marek entering the kingdom of his nightmares to help me.

also shoutout to the side characters whom i adore!! Sefa and Marek are the best friends a person could have, they're so sweet i love love loveee them and no harm had better come to these two or there will be therapy bills to pay!! Wes and Jeru were also interesting and funny guards, and i cant wait to see more of them, and hopefully less of a *certain* guard although i know that's very unlikely unfortunately.

truly The Jasad Heir is a book i highly HIGHLY recommend to anyone who wants an enriching and true dynamic in enemies to lovers, with well written characters, magic, plot and politics. i still cannot believe that ending, it wrecked me and i knew it was coming but the way it came?? im destroyed, please take me back. i will be suffering in wait for the next 9735972 days on news of book 2's release and will definitely be rereading this book many times. hell, i already am resisting the urge to do a reread right away--another sign of this book's magnificence.

Arin and Sylvia, my OTP <3

10 billion stars⭐


Thank you Orbit for gifting me this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!!

4.5 stars

Wow, this book is going to leave me with a romance hangover despite only 10% of the story being about the romance.

Upfront, The Jasad Heir stumbles it's way through a lot of it's plot beats. There's holes, inconsistencies, and the word 'heir' is mentioned more times per page than I thought possible. If you're going into this book for the tournament trope please don't expect it to be the focus. The tournament only encompasses the last (view spoiler) or so pages, and the trials themselves are quite underwhelming. Deadly contests are one of my favourite tropes and I was initially disappointed by this.

This book does move slowly and the first half had me feeling fairly adrift. I was just along for the ride until something shifted in the character development and it clicked for me why so many of the people in my circle have been praising this book.

This. Cast. Are. Everything.
I loved all of them.

Sylvia is a wonderful protagonist. She isn't a hero. This was much more a tale of self-acceptance than of bravery. She is in an identity crisis and totally lacking a solid foundation from which to visualise or build upon who she wants to be. Watching her fight to carve out an identity for herself was slightly gut-wrenching and entirely relatable. I really hope we get more of this journey in book 2.

Very mild spoilers: I also appreciated how her (view spoiler) was handled, as someone with a sensory processing disorder (and trust issues) who cannot tolerate (view spoiler), I did feel slightly teary whenever (view spoiler). I loved how Sefa and Marek navigated this, and adapted to find other ways to show her affection and reassurance.

Don't click if you haven't finished this title yet: Having (view spoiler).

Sefa and Marek were a great rep for strong platonic bonds. While I don't feel we really got enough of them in this instalment I am very grateful that Hashem chose to prioritise a non-romantic pairing. More of this please!

Where this book really shines though is romance. It is such a tiny part of the story, barely there for the first 70% of it, but wow did it get to me. This is a true enemies-to-(maybe?)lovers. Knives are thrown. Hashem didn't pull punches. It is a slow-burn that really creeps up on you. Arin is somehow both terrifying and adorable. In her own way Sylvia is too. I was grinning like a fool towards the end.

quiet screaming
I love them so much.

Was this book a work of art? Mmm, no. Did I enjoy my time with these characters? Immensely. It is rare I have this much fun with my reading at the moment and, despite it's flaws, my heart can't rate it any lower.

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My rating system:
✧✧✧✧✧ - loved it, no complaints
✧✧✧✧ - loved it, some technical flaws
✧✧✧ - liked it
✧✧ - disappointing
✧ - unenjoyable

- 4.5 Stars*

I loved this book so much!!! I loved all the Arabic words and names used in this book! A breath of fresh air from almost never seeing that in Fantasy books.

And to author I have one thing to say to you… how dare you introduce Arin in that manner! As if I needed more reason to love him than that entrance. And Sylvia, praise to Sylvia for being one of the best morally grey characters out there 🗡️

Now, I wouldn’t recommend reading this book when you’re hungry 😂 so many mouth watering delicacies mentioned throughout the book!

The slow burn in this book 🔥 I swear I shouted “Kiss already” a billion times 😂

The book has A LOT of world building, lots of politics, magical lands, the banter, a Romantic sub-plot with the enemies to lovers trope, deadly trials, the fact that it’s inspired by Egyptian culture and History!

As you can see, I simply cannot write down my thoughts properly. Though, I hope you understood that you should definitely read it after all this chaos I wrote 😋

Magic is the lifeblood of this world. It is the very thing that I would say sustains life. Yet, some would hate it, be envious of it, and oppress others simply for even wanting to use it. Because it is the envious that rules this world, and the passion that is perscueted. Sylvia, or shall we say the Heir of Jasad lives a life in hiding, trying to keep her magic hidden from the glaring eyes of the Nizahl Kingdom, who had destroyed the once glorious Kingdom of Jasad. And that's when life begins to change. Arin and his cold calculating method of persuasion and torture slowly brings Sylvia into his side. Sylvia has to go through trials, revolts, and hiding. She has to go through so much, that no other character has to face what she does. She is a strong woman, running from her past. Yet she has more to achieve, and she must come out of her cowardice to embrace the bold character that she must become if she is to become the Jasad Heir.

It is always fascinating to see this new world of Arabic-inspired fantasy that is coming onto the scene of traditional fantasy. I applaud it and want more. Playing Assassin's Creed Mirage which is set in 8th century Baghdad has got me more interested in Medieval Arabic culture, and when I read this novel, I could only think of where the author has been inspired from, including Medieval Egypt under the Ayyubids. There is immense worldbuilding provided and I want more. That's it. This is another world of magic vs non-magic yet told differently. It is a world full of spices, full of magic and full of tolerance vs non-tolerance. The world is so immersive that I was dazzled by this amazing yet fascinating world. I want more Arabian-style fantasy in this period. The Golden Age of Islam provides such a fascinating context and rich setting for new fantasy novels to come out, and yet we still stick to the same old Medieval England trope.

The Abbasid Caliphate for example, which was recently given a new form of representation in Assassin's Creed Mirage released last year, showcased the richness of Islamic literature and culture. There is so much we could do here, and I urge more authors with Arab heritage in the West, especially now, to make more novels based on this. I as an Indian, am also looking forward to seeing more Indian authors step up and showcase their rich culture to the West, which has been often quite ignored. It is time, that we get fantastic novels like this. It is time, we are exposed to other cultures. I love Medieval England, but sometimes, showcasing other parts of the world isn't a bad thing either.

I would say that sometimes the pacing of the novel slowed down a bit, and a world glossary would have been needed as it would have helped. Writing big epic fantasy novels requires a lot of work, especially from the author's side and sometimes little details like this can be missed. The characters within the novel are bright, amazing and dazzling. Each of them has a certain backstory that you want to discover. Each of them makes you want to go further and further. And I want bigger worlds! What you read will be the product of countless hours of draft and Sara, the author also told about how she rediscovered her Arabic heritage by learning about it. There is special care and attention to detail that you can see in this novel. That said, I think this is a fantastic novel, and you need to go and read it now!