Review: The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne #1) by Sara Hashem

 *I received an advance reading copy of this book from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

The Jasad Heir

(The Scorched Throne #1)

by Sara Hashem

July 18, 2023

Goodreads 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.

Review

I find myself unable to stop thinking about The Jasad Heir since I turned its last page. A wild ride of a story, I was equally ensnared in its political web as its tortured characters were. I'd gladly dive deeper into this oppressive yet engaging world.

Complex politics, meticulous scheming and bloody action make up the world of The Jasad Heir. The story had so many moving parts, I never quite knew what the characters would do next. But they undoubtedly elicited a number of emotions from me. I laughed at the sarcastic dialogues; I raged at the injustice faced by the Jasadi; I winced at the brutality; I delighted in seeing the truth come to light and I mourned the public betrayal that could never be undone.

I cannot begin to imagine the emotional turmoil and physical pain Sylvia has had to endure in her years in hiding. My heart broke a little every time she faced a dilemma. No matter the terrible choices she's had to make, she made them not out of malice but to survive. She is a good person and I would very much like to see her find peace and happiness.

Sylvia and Arin have stolen my heart! The push and pull between these two was so strong. My pulse pounded wildly every time they interacted. I applaud their restrain from tearing each other apart (or each other's clothes off ;)). Both were bullheaded and neither gave in easily. It was incredibly delicious watching their slow burn heat up and explode into an inferno (literally).

The Jasad Heir had me mesmerized from beginning to end. I could not get enough of this story and just thinking of what the sequel could bring has my blood pumping and my heart twisting!

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the arc I received.