The Starlight Heir
A Novel
-
-
4.0 • 23 Ratings
-
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
"MY NEWEST OBSESSION." –REBECCA YARROS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing
"SUMPTUOUS WORLD BUILDING, WITTY CHARACTERS, SPICY ROMANCE...AMALIE HOWARD AT HER FINEST." –DANIELLE L. JENSEN, New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood
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, 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.
“Consumes all your attention and leaves you longing for more!” —Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Stunning .” —Brigid Kemmerer, New York Times bestselling author
“Pure addictive delight.” —Thea Guanzon, New York Times bestselling author
“Glitters with magic, every page brimming with romance and adventure.” –Nisha J. Tuli internationally bestselling author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Howard (The Worst Duke in London) turns from Regency to romantasy in a propulsive outing that brims with action, betrayal, and plenty of spice. Twenty-four-year-old Suraya Saab lives a quietly comfortable life in the relatively poor desert city of Coban in the kingdom of Oryndhr, earning a living by forging weapons (for which she occasionally uses illegal pieces of crystallized magic) and helping out at her father's tavern. Then she receives an invitation to join the pool of women from which the Crown Prince will choose a bride. After determining that this is not a prank, Suraya heads to the capital, where dangerous adventure awaits. The plot thickens with the introduction of a distractingly dashing castle gardener; attacks by the Dahaka, a rebel organization determined to be free of Imperial rule; and a series of trials designed to test each lovely candidate for the Prince's hand. Intrigue abounds as Suraya navigates court politics, ancient prophecies, and mystical happenings that have her doubting her own mind at times. Sharp dialogue elevates the romance, while the rich worldbuilding, filled with Indian, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean influences, provides an elegant framework to showcase a strong, determined, and capable female protagonist. Readers will eagerly await the sequel.
Customer Reviews
Love the twists
Amalie Howard captivates us with magic, fate, and twists in “The Starlight Heir!”
I love that we get another female bladesmith through Suraya Saab! We get a skilled craftsperson who’s use to heat and works hard, so her physicality was tested when her first trip to the palace stops being glitzy.
I love the banter Suraya has with the gardener, Roshan, who turns out to be a royal. Their meet-cute was better than that of the other royals, it essentially boiled down to good party and bad party. Later, we find that there’s a connection in their past which added to their fated partnership.
The trajectory of Suraya and Roshan’s situationship, and later Suraya’s decisions of destruction was touch-and-go however those twists had us turning pages even quicker.
I highly recommend this well-paced book for those who love discovering our inner magic and fated mates!
Thank you to Net Galley, Avon, and Harper Voyager US for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.