#The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

[betterbooksandthings]

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is a beautifully textured Egyptian-inspired high fantasy book that rips your heart apart and puts it back together again. As an orphaned apothecary’s assistant in a small town, no one expects Sylvia to hide powerful magic and an even more powerful lineage. When the kingdom of Jasad fell to the kingdom of Nizahl a decade ago, everyone believed all members of the royal family fell with it, but the magically adept Jasad heir escaped, and she has been on the run ever since. Her magic has been dampened for years so typically there is little threat it will be detected, but one day Arin, the Nizahl heir, discovers her power anyway. He cannot imagine she is lost royalty, but Arin knows her magic is powerful and can tell her strength will serve his political goals. With knowledge of Sylvia’s powers and Jasadi background, he blackmails her into becoming his champion for the Alcalah, a deadly series of trials where each kingdom has one chance at selecting a future victor that will bring pride to their country. Now she must keep her identity as the lost Jasad heir a secret from the strict and inscrutable heir, even as they grow inextricably close. If she wins, Sylvia will have enough money and status as the Alcalah victor to hide for the rest of her life, but as Jasadi rebels and her own conscience demand she takes up her throne, she has to decide if she is willing to live a life of peace at the cost of her people. The book is filled with magic, political intrigue, friendship, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a magical competition to tie it all together. I could not recommend this book more.

I must say, Hashem’s debut is an impressive feat of the genre. The magic system and world-building are top-tier for those looking for fantasy with multi-kingdom political intrigue and well-developed characters. Everyone and everything introduced to the book is there for a reason and they all have well-developed backstories and interior lives. I believe the book follows an iceberg approach to fantasy where we see a fraction of the worldbuilding that goes into crafting such an intricate system where everything feels real. Small details from clothing, food, and value differences between kingdoms give life to the people and the places they inhabit.

Sylvia is a wonderful character. She is a believable traumatized 20-year-old. The book is a good recommendation for fans of New Adult-aged protagonists, but it is firmly adult fantasy. She is comfortable with murdering for survival and capable of doing so. Even without consistent access to her powers, she is clever and calculating and knows how to wield a bevy of weapons. It doesn’t stop her from caring about a select group of people including her two best friends Sefa and Marek who follow her throughout the book. They have their own story that I will not spoil but rest assured they are wonderful and Sefa is on the ace spectrum for anyone who wants to know.

Now, there is also an enemies-to-lovers subplot in the book between the two heirs, Sylvia and Arin but it is a slow burn, backburner, low-spice (but high-heat) romance. Both characters have a certain level of touch aversion one due to a magic curse, the other due to a traumatic childhood. They are also two people who don’t trust or love with any level of ease. Nonetheless, they care about each other, and the growing care leads me to believe in their chemistry. I can find no confirmation that Sylvia was written to be on the ace spectrum so please correct me if I am wrong, but I read her character as demisexual or somewhere on the ace spectrum. I am completely on board with this ship either way.

Training for the Alcalah and the Alcalah itself is so well done. Anyone who likes a good high-stakes fantasy competition will be satisfied with this storyline. The secrets and political intrigue create ongoing tension throughout the book and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book 2.

All that is to say this book is absolutely wonderful. Thank you Orbit Books for providing me with an arc for an honest review and I would highly recommend you preorder yourself a copy because when The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem comes out on July 18, 2023, you will want to get started.

[literaryelise]

“He is Nizahl’s Commander. I should burn with hatred every second spent in his presence.”

The Jasad Heir, Sara Hashem

[thecozybimbo]

the jasad heir with some desk clutter

[nightsnacker99]

the jasad heir: a tale of a man and his vest

[bekah-reading]

28/50

5/5

I had already been looking forward to this when I heard about it, but I definitely was excited when I saw Chelsea Abdullah blurbed it.

This is a Middle Eastern Fantasy, that’s more Egyptian based. I loved the world, I loved the characters. I feel like I needed a good fantasy and this delivered. I really can’t wait for the sequel, I need it. This was so immersive and atmospheric.

I will say it did take like 2-3 chapters to get into it. This book kinda just throws you off the deep end and doesn’t explain a lot of stuff, like the magic system or certain things about the world. Personally, I love those types of books but I know, it’s not for everyone.

[nevinslibrary]

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

Sylvia is the exiled Queen of Jasad. Ten years before Jasad was burned by the Nizahl, magic was outlawed, most of the royal family killed. In present day Arin, the Nizahl Heir, finds her when she uses her outlawed magic. They make a deal. She’ll compete as the Nizahl Champion in the Alcahal (a series of three trials). If she wins, she will get immunity from prosecution for her ‘crimes’. But, she soon finds out that she will also have to choose between the life that she ran away from, and the one that she wants to have.

To start with, I loved the characters. But, not just them. The world building was awesome, and, the complexity of ‘what’ this book is was fun too. There’s some romance, fantasy, quite a bit of action, adventure, and the tension throughout the book. Amazing. It was a fun read that kept me guessing and turning the pages, and it does say in some of the publicity that it’s supposed to be the first in a series, so, here’s hoping!

You may like this book If you Liked: The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi, The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri, or The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

[bookishlyvintage]

July 2023 Illumicrate: You Win or You Die

[someonelookingpraediti]

Illumicrate Unboxing

You Win or You Die July 2023

This month's theme is "You Win or You Die". I'm not exactly blown away by this box, although there are a couple of good items.

The book is "The Jasad Heir" by Sara Hashem. The book doesn't appeal to me, and the customisations are pretty basic. The cover is apparently an exclusive, but I can't see anything different from the original. There is some foiling on the hardcase, but it's minimal. The endpapers are exclusives - a simple patterned design, and the sprayed edges match the endpapers.

The first item is a towel. This is inspired by "The Hunger Games". It's not really the colour scheme I would expect from this series. But it's a great quality item to get, and it couldn't come at a better time - my washing machine is broken, and I just ran out of clean towels! So honestly, this is a godsend.

Next is a pair of tea bowls. These are inspired by "A Magic Steeped in Poison". I love these! I don't know how often I'll use them, but I love the design. One is pink, and one is white, and they both have a flower pattern around the outside.

Next is an embroidered pouch. This is inspired by "The Final Strife". It's just a thin red pouch with a little book embroidered on. It's more like packaging than an actual item. It's not very impressive.

The last item is a card game. It's basically "guess who" featuring characters from various books. It was fun for a couple of rounds - but made difficult by the fact that I don't know most of the characters. The artwork is absolutely incredible though!

[tbookblurbs]

The Jasad Heir - Sara Hashem

4/5 - Good debut, intriguing characters, romance was ... interesting, world-building and pacing could use some work. SPOILERS BELOW!

This was Sara Hashem's debut novel and it is a strong debut! Her main character, Sylvia, pulls you in right from the start and her unreliable narration makes the the twists throughout the book that much more shocking. Her enemy, the prince of Nizhal, is not quite as compelling, but he makes up for it in sheer menace.

However, the pacing of the plot leaves a little something to be desired. We don't get into the plot until a solid 20-30% of the book goes by and from there the pacing is a little bit like being in the car with someone who's just learning how to drive. Very start-stop-start-stop-start for the remainder of the book. When things are happening they are happening, and when things are not, they are not.

The worldbuilding is interesting but could be fleshed out a little more. The biggest criticism I've seen of the romance in this book is that it's a colonizer x colonized person and that is true, but it's also always a little weird to me when someone who is EMPLOYING someone then enters into a romantic relationship with that same someone. Especially when this isn't really employment but rather coercion. Sarah J Maas tries to pull the same trick (TWICE) with Celaena Sardothien and Chaol/Dorian and it doesn't really work there either. There are just, fundamentally, too many barriers and power imbalances for this to work out. Technically, Sylvia/Essiya x Arin could be possible and way less weird later in the story, but setting it up now just feels a little odd.

I still would totally recommend this to anyone who likes a strong but flawed main character, those specifically looking for Egyptian representation in high fantasy, or anyone who liked the Throne of Glass series. It's a similar character set-up, albeit with a bit more of a nuanced look on the whole situation. I didn't know that the author who wrote it was Egyptian at the time and the little details that were unfamiliar to me made it, if anything, more enjoyable because they were unknown.

[judgingbooksbycovers]

The Jasad Heir

By Sara Hashem.

[betterbooksandthings]

"Sure, a monarchy may not be the best form of government, but the best fantasy royalty sometimes makes you believe they’ve gotten it right.

And there is something about fantasy that makes rulers more believable. Sure, fantasy books do have democracies, but the influence of historic monarchies in mythology and folklore has played a role in the current popularity of rulers in fantasy. It’s a genre where we are still processing the implications of empire and monarchy and a ruling class — albeit one with dragons, fairies, and/or magic.

In fantasy worlds that contain royal government structures, there will always be the ones we root to keep the thrones and the ones we root to lose them. The following list is a mix of fantasy worlds where characters are often still finding the path to the throne. Sometimes, royals are usurping the throne or just waiting their turn in the line of succession. Either way, they are using their political power to help the people even when it risks their safety. It makes sense that readers are more likely to root for a member of the ruling class with access to unlimited privilege if that person is very good at their job."

[literaryelise]

“Do not tell me what you should feel. Tell me what is true.”

The Jasad Heir, Sara Hashem

[hawkwinglb]

So this is my review of Sara Hashem’s The Jasad Heir. It’s a novel whose appeal I can see, in a limited way, but which really didn’t work for me.

That said, I am in fact desperately hoping someone will come and argue discuss vigorously with me about the book's flaws merits. I’d love to know what made it work for other people.

[biblionerdreflections]

ARC Review - The Jasad Heir

Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem, which is out today in the U.S. I was excited to get an early copy of this one. Just look at that cover!!! 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.…

[powells]

Romantasy Display!! ✨💕

((No poetry, middle grade books, or graphic novels were displaced to make room for this display))

Uprooted by Naomi Novik "familiar as a Grimm fairy tale yet fresh, original, and totally irresistible"

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall "Witches and gods, scandals and curses all combine in this spellbinding historical Sapphic romance"

Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti "Follow our twin princesses as they fight to reclaim their throne." *very spicy* *please note this series has dark content*

Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai "The magic system had me mesmerized in how it blends cultures. Inspired by Chinese drama, the romance & action were addictive"

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett "Besides a grumpy, young professor, this book has fairies, and adventure, romance, mystery... and did I say fairies?"

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong "Gripping, bewildering, irresistible..."

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem "Try if you like: Egyptian folklore, political scheming, deadly secrets, revenge, and forbidden romance" Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas "An epic tale of love and loss and a girl who loves her kingdom very very much"

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌙 Books for Arab American Heritage Month 🌙

🌙 Good morning, bookish bats, and Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating. Eid al-Fitr ("the feast of breaking the fast") marks the end of Ramadan, an Islamic holy month of fasting and sacrifice. April is also Arab American Heritage month, which celebrates the 3.7 million Arab Americans across the country. This is an opportunity to combat Anti-Arab bigotry by challenging stereotypes and prejudices.

✨ One of the best ways to do so is to read books ABOUT Arab Americans. To help, here are a few books for Arab American Heritage Month you can read, discuss, or add to your ever-growing TBR!

[ List under the cut. ]

✨ Growing up, I didn't have books that represented my experiences as an Arab or Muslim American. My friends didn't have stories to read that could help them understand my perspective. With that in mind, I added children's books on the last slide, for the moms out there searching for diverse books--books that allow us to empathize and understand different perspectives and experiences.

🌙 A Woman Is No Man - Etaf Rum ✨ The Other Americans - Laila Lamami 🌙 You Exist Too Much - Zaina Arafat ✨ Grape Leaves - Gregory Orfalea and Sharif Elmusa 🌙 The Wrong End of the Telescope - Rabih Alameddine ✨ The Beauty of Your Face - Sahar Mustafah 🌙 Martyr - Kaveh Akbar ✨ Between Two Moons - Aisha Abdel Gawad 🌙 Tasting the Sky - Ibtisam Barakat ✨ A Game for Swallows - Zeina Abirached 🌙 Love Is An Ex-Country - Randa Jarrar ✨ The Thirty Names of Night - Zeyn Joukhadar

🌙 I Was Their American Dream - Malaka Gharib ✨ A Country Called Amreeka - Alia Malek 🌙 A Theory of Birds - Zaina Alsous ✨ Against the Loveless World - Susan Abulhawa 🌙 Arab in America - Toufic El Rassi ✨ The Skin and Its Girl - Sarah Cypher 🌙 Sex and Lies - Leïla Slimani ✨ Loom - Thérèse Soukar Chehade 🌙 Birds of Paradise - Diana Abu-Jaber ✨ Come With Me - Noami Shihab Nye 🌙 Girls of Riyadh - Rajāʼ ʻAbd Allāh Ṣāniʻ ✨ How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? - Moustafa Bayoumi

🌙 Evil Eye - Etaf Rum ✨ The Girl Who Fell to Earth - Sophia Al-Maria 🌙 What Strange Paradise - Omar El Akaad ✨ Girls That Never Die - Safia Elhillo 🌙 Bahari - Dina Macki ✨ Life Without a Recipe - Diana Abu-Jaber 🌙 Egyptian Diary - Richard Platt ✨ Man O'War - Cory McCarthy 🌙 The Cave - Amani Ballour, MD ✨ The Map of Salt and Stars - Zeyn Joukhadar 🌙 They Called Me a Lioness - Ahed Tamimi and Dena Takruri ✨ Salt Houses - Hala Alyan

🌙 Arabiyya - Reem Assil ✨ Mornings in Jenin - Susan Abulhawa 🌙 Shubeik Lubeik - Deena Mohamed ✨ The Wrong End of the Telescope - Rabih Alameddine 🌙 Conditional Citizens - Laila Lamami ✨ An Unnecessary Woman - Rabih Alameddine 🌙 It Won't Always Be Like This - Malaka Gharib ✨ Proud - Ibtihaj Muhammad 🌙 The Land in Our Bones - Layla K Feghali ✨ Everything Comes Next - Naomi Shihab Nye 🌙 The Immortals of Tehran - Ali Araghi ✨ Starstruck - Sarafina El-Badry Nance

🌙 Our Women on the Ground - Various ✨ The Jasad Heir - Sara Hashem 🌙 Tell Me How You Really Feel - Aminah Mae Safi ✨ Surge - Etel Adnan 🌙 Here to Stay - Sara Farizan ✨ We Hunt the Flame - Hafsah Faisal 🌙 A Tempest of Tea - Hafsah Faizal ✨ The Bad Muslim Discount - Syed M. Masood 🌙 A Girl Like That - Tanaz Bhathena ✨ Not the Girls You're Looking For - Aminah Mae Safi 🌙 All-American Muslim Girl - Nadine Jolie Courtney ✨ The Moon That Turns You Back - Hala Alyan

🌙 Ms. Marvel - Destined - Saladin Ahmed ✨ Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card - Sara Saedi 🌙 Internment - Samira Ahmed ✨ Stardust Thief - Chelsea Abdullah 🌙 Once Upon an Eid - Various ✨ Farah Rocks Fifth Grade - Susan Muaddi Darraj 🌙 Barakah Beats - Maleeha Siddiqui ✨ Amira's Picture Day - Reem Faruqi 🌙 The Tale of Princess Fatima, Warrior Woman ✨ Lailah's Lunchbox - Reem Faruqi 🌙 In My Mosque - M.O. Yuksel ✨ Halal Hot Dogs - Susannah Aziz

🌙 The Proudest Blue - Ibtihaj Muhammad ✨ Silverworld - Diana Abu-Jaber 🌙 Other Words for Home - Jasmine Warga ✨ Time to Pray - Maha Addasi 🌙 Under My Hijab - Hena Khan ✨ Wishing Upon the Same Stars - Jacquetta Nammar Feldman 🌙 Amina's Voice - Hena Khan ✨ Yasmin the Recycler - Saadia Faruqi 🌙 The Shape of Thunder - Jasmine Warga ✨ Deep in the Sahara - Kelly Cunnane, Hoda Hadadi 🌙 The Turtle of Michigan - Naomi Shihab Nye ✨ Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria - George Jreije