the jasad heir – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 688 pages
Author: Sara Hashem
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen may be the key to restoring her lost kingdom of Jasad, but it could cost her everything and everyone she loves.

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad’s greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group’s trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.

In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father’s desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he’s sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father’s army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin’s beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.

War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she’s fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn’t just want to survive. She wants to win.
The fugitive queen is ready to come home.

AHHHHHH.

No seriously, I almost gave this ONE STAR. And as you can see, THIS GOT FIVE STARS. That’s how much emotional turmoil I was in and I was ready to throw my headphones across the room. Which while that may all seem chaotic truly just shows how good of writing and story telling was present that kept me in such a chokehold waiting to see where everything would land.

I love these characters. It’s definitely a fantasy PLUS romance. And all of the fantasy elements are amazing. The politicking and betrayals and twists and turns and everything in between. I loved the world building and magic systems. THEN you add in this wonderful star crossed, actual enemies to lovers romance? STOP IT NOW. The banter and heat is incredible. If you’re someone who doesn’t like spice forward stories (hi, it’s me) this is the one you should pick up!!

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: mild
Romance: fade to black
Violence: high

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 523 pages
Author: Sara Hashem
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: July 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

EVERYTHING I LOVE.

I loved this book. It sang to everything I love about adult fantasy books. An intricate plot with complicated world building. An interesting magic system with hidden identities. A super slow burn romance with the forbidden enemy. All things I will soak up every dang time.

The audiobook was really great and I think that helped with some reviews saying it’s a bit slow. I didn’t have that issue and I liked seeing Sylvia’s story. She is ANGRY (and it comes across that way in the narration), rightfully so, but she also doesn’t have all of the facts. I loved seeing this beginning character arc and the ending was exactly what I hoped for to set up for book two.

I’m a sucker for this kind of romance. It’s slow, it’s dangerous, and the characters don’t even see it coming. Working with the enemy in a forced proximity situation is my lifeblood.

A great first book for a new series I will absolutely be looking forward to the sequel.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: heated kisses
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of loved ones, murder, weapons violence, near death experiences