The Jasad Heir is the story of a royal in disguise who is forced to make an alliance with her greatest enemy after accidentally revealing her magic to him. Arin is the commander from a country that brutally murdered Sylvia's family and destroyed her kingdom. If she agrees to compete as a champion and lure out the rebel groups causing chaos, she can win her freedom. To do so, Sylvia must betray her friends and country one last time. When put to the test, will she choose herself or her country? 

The Jasad Heir is such a rich and complex fantasy. I loved the world-building and can’t wait to see it explored more in the sequel. The politics were very multi-layered. I enjoyed seeing the characters deal with the unique challenges that came with being in different kingdoms with manipulative rulers. Hashem's writing is witty and vivid. I especially loved Arin, because he is such a classic villain that thinks he’s a hero. Arin is resolutely convinced that he’s doing the right thing. He views the world in such black and white; I loved how Sylvia challenged all of his preconceptions and beliefs. Arin and Sylvia have incredible chemistry and I was captivated during their charged interactions in the book. Love a good "who did this to you?" moment! 

Sylvia is a fantastic morally-gray character who wrestles with finding safety in selfish choices, but not wanting to leave her friends and found family behind. The people who were supposed to keep her safe as a child were unable to and she had to claw her way to survival, making it difficult to trust or remember her country fondly.  I can’t wait to see her character arc continue! Sylvia sees her past differently when information that was kept from her as a child is revealed. The information pokes holes in what she has always believed and known to be true, sending her on a journey of excellent character growth. The pacing to get to the competition dragged a little bit, but I appreciated that this time was needed for her to build the relationship with Arin and his guards.  

The ending of this book will absolutely leave you wanting more!! I can’t wait to find out in the sequel what happens to Sylvia, Arin, and all of the kingdoms. Readers who enjoyed The Stardust Thief (Chelsea Abdullah), Spice Road (Maiya Ibrahim), and The Bone Shard Daughter (Andrea Stewart) should check out The Jasad Heir! 

Thank you so much to Sara Hashem, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.