Book Review! The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
Genre: Adult Fiction (Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: January 7, 2025
Publisher: Avon Books

A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new romantasy that will leave you spellbound.

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.”

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard reminded me a bit of The Selection, but the competition of it all is more deadly. It's fast paced with interesting characters that really kept my focus firm. I like the mythology that's delicately woven into the world building and the characters themselves. It does read more like a Young Adult story, which I'm fine with. If you've been on my blog for more than 5 minutes you know I love YA. There is a scene or two that pushes it into the adult realm though. It actually surprised me, because I thought I was reading a YA book prior to that. All in all, I was impressed with this one. I'm not sure if the author plans for this to be a series, but the potential is definitely there, and I'm here for it!

The ARC of The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard was kindly provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley for review. The opinions are my own.

AMALIE HOWARD is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, most notably of The Beast of Beswick, “a smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance,” and one of O-The Oprah Magazine’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and Scottish historical romance, My Rogue, My Ruin and What A Scot Wants, and has also penned several young adult novels, critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Kid’s INDIE NEXT selection. Of Indo-Caribbean descent, she has written articles on multicultural fiction for The Portland Book Review and Ravishly magazine. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. 

To learn more about Amalie Howard and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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