Some books quietly pull you in, and others refuse to let you sleep till you’ve turned that last page. That book for me this week was The Jasad Heir, The Scorched Throne duology, by Sara Hasheem.
We follow Sylvia, a fugitive queen of the fallen kingdom of Jasad, who is forced to accept a dangerous bargain with the prince of the very kingdom that destroyed her own. In this Egyptian-inspired fantasy with the slowest of slow burns, this story takes us on a journey as we discover just how far a forgotten queen is willing to go for her kingdom.
A deadly game begins between the two heirs after a detrimental mistake is made in a kingdom that has outlawed the use of magic. Arin, the Nizahl Heir, quickly grows suspicious of Sylvia when he catches her using magic. Sylvia can”t let Arin discover her true identity, at any cost. If he knew, he would surely drag her straight to his father – the Nizahl King – who would stop at nothing to kill her.
So Sylvia is forced to make a deal with the Heir: help him hunt down the rebels in exchange for her life.
As the tides begin to change, Sylvia realizes she might have been wrong about the Nizahl Heir, and their hatred changes to something…more. Soon, she must choose between the life she wants and the one she abandoned long ago.
From the ashes, the fallen kingdom begins to rise, and it demands a queen.
*warning: potential minor spoilers ahead*
The Jasad Heir quickly pulled me into its depths with its political conflict, thrilling plot, beautiful imagery, and heart-stopping romantic tension.
One of the things I loved most about this book was the dynamic between Arin and Sylvia. It was magnetic and witty from the very start, and as their mistrust for one another comes to a head, you can clearly see just how much pull they have toward one another: the banter, BANTERS in this book. They truly are enemies to reluctant allies to disastrously in love. Slow-burn isn’t just a hook to get you to read this book; it truly is the plot. They start the duology with knives at each other’s throats, and by the end of the last book, they would die for one another.
The imagery and prose in this book are bittersweet and beautiful. Our two main characters are a beautiful mess of mistrust, pent-up anger, and the desire to truly be seen by someone willing to break down their armor. In a lot of ways, Sylvia and Arin are a mirror of one another; in other ways, they are the exact opposite and exactly what each other needs to grow into who they are meant to be. The author represents this feeling with evocative writing that pulls the reader until you audibly gasp. For example, one of my favorite quotes from this book is “I had made a vow against intoxication, but I would recant immediately for the chance to savor the decadence of him.”
Two other technical elements that can make or break a book are pacing and world-building, and I genuinely believe the author knew exactly what she was doing in both areas. The world-building was expansive and immersive, and like a great author, she didn’t overwhelm the reader with it all at once. Instead, it unfolds naturally as the story progresses.
As for the pacing, it felt even, steady, and consistent throughout. There were a few plot twists toward the end of the book that I suspected early on (though I’ve read a lot of this genre), but they were still super interesting to watch unfold.
If you are looking for your next great read, the Jasad Heir might be it. This book is everything I heard it to be and more. It has quickly moved up on my list of favorite books and has become one of my go-to recommendations for readers who love an equal balance of fantasy, romance, and tension.
Until my next midnight read…🌙
Stars: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Spice: 🌶️ (1/5 spice)- tension, banter, and light kissing
Tropes:
- Enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
- slow-burn romance
- politcal tension
- magical, deadly, trials
- political fantasy plot
✨Have you read The Jasad Heir? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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