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Heir of Flame and Shadow
The Chains are weakening—and what waits beneath was never meant to be freed.
After stealing the Royal family’s golden rings, Mina is pursued by the Royal guards. With no choice but to flee the kingdom, she finds herself stranded in the southern desert.
Mina has lost far more than her home—haunted by a death she caused, a shattered friendship, and her guardian spirit seeming to be weaker than ever. Now, she must confront her inner demon alone.
In Heir of Flame and Shadow, Mina discovers new allies, faces old enemies, and attempts to heal a broken friendship that could become something deeper. But sinister forces have been guiding her steps all along—are they allies or enemies in disguise?
After stealing the Royal family’s golden rings, Mina is pursued by the Royal guards. With no choice but to flee the kingdom, she finds herself stranded in the southern desert.
Mina has lost far more than her home—haunted by a death she caused, a shattered friendship, and her guardian spirit seeming to be weaker than ever. Now, she must confront her inner demon alone.
In Heir of Flame and Shadow, Mina discovers new allies, faces old enemies, and attempts to heal a broken friendship that could become something deeper. But sinister forces have been guiding her steps all along—are they allies or enemies in disguise?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
Ahlam Faris
2 books10 followersAhlam Faris is an award-winning fantasy author known for crafting immersive worlds filled with magic, intrigue, and powerful characters. Her debut novel, Daughter of Light and Dark, received critical acclaim and won the 2024 Reviewers’ Choice Award from Book Nerdection.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 21, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is the second on Ring and Chains series my most anticipated read. First book was great but this one surpasses my five stars. Love it well written, characters well executed.
September 25, 2025
Heir of Flame and Shadow picks up where Daughter of Light and Dark left off, continuing Mina’s journey through a world steeped in shadow, betrayal, and dangerous magic. At its heart, this story is about survival and self-discovery in the face of unbearable odds. Mina struggles with her cursed gift, torn between the burden it places on her and the hope it brings to others. Alongside her, a cast of allies and enemies twist the path forward, pulling her into battles that are both physical and deeply emotional. Themes of identity, family, sacrifice, and the fragile line between love and pain shape the arc of this sequel, while the backdrop of supernatural powers and dark kingdoms raises the stakes to life-or-death levels.
I enjoyed how raw the writing felt. The prose is not polished to perfection, but that roughness gave the book a pulse, like the words were breathing with Mina. The imagery is often harsh, almost jagged, and it fits the tone of the story. I found myself swept along by the energy, even when the pacing slowed. The dialogue carried weight, sometimes heavy with pain, sometimes sharp with betrayal, and occasionally softened by fleeting moments of tenderness. At times, I wanted more quiet space to sink into the characters’ hearts, but the relentless drive of the narrative made sure I was never allowed to get too comfortable. I liked that. It kept me unsettled, the way Mina herself was.
The exploration of trauma and control felt unflinching, and it stirred up emotions that weren’t easy to brush aside. There were moments when I had to pause, not because the writing faltered, but because the weight of what was happening pressed too close. That’s a rare thing for me, to feel almost winded by a book. At the same time, the bond between characters, even when fractured, reminded me of how messy and stubborn love can be. It isn’t always gentle or safe. Sometimes it’s sharp enough to draw blood. And that messy truth gave the fantasy world a raw humanity that made it believable.
I’d recommend Heir of Flame and Shadow to readers who aren’t afraid of dark themes and emotional turbulence. If you like your fantasy with teeth, if you want magic tangled with pain, and if you enjoy characters who are complicated and scarred, this book will speak to you. It’s not for someone looking for a lighthearted escape. It’s for readers who want to be rattled a little, who want to sit with shadows and still see the flicker of flame inside them.
I enjoyed how raw the writing felt. The prose is not polished to perfection, but that roughness gave the book a pulse, like the words were breathing with Mina. The imagery is often harsh, almost jagged, and it fits the tone of the story. I found myself swept along by the energy, even when the pacing slowed. The dialogue carried weight, sometimes heavy with pain, sometimes sharp with betrayal, and occasionally softened by fleeting moments of tenderness. At times, I wanted more quiet space to sink into the characters’ hearts, but the relentless drive of the narrative made sure I was never allowed to get too comfortable. I liked that. It kept me unsettled, the way Mina herself was.
The exploration of trauma and control felt unflinching, and it stirred up emotions that weren’t easy to brush aside. There were moments when I had to pause, not because the writing faltered, but because the weight of what was happening pressed too close. That’s a rare thing for me, to feel almost winded by a book. At the same time, the bond between characters, even when fractured, reminded me of how messy and stubborn love can be. It isn’t always gentle or safe. Sometimes it’s sharp enough to draw blood. And that messy truth gave the fantasy world a raw humanity that made it believable.
I’d recommend Heir of Flame and Shadow to readers who aren’t afraid of dark themes and emotional turbulence. If you like your fantasy with teeth, if you want magic tangled with pain, and if you enjoy characters who are complicated and scarred, this book will speak to you. It’s not for someone looking for a lighthearted escape. It’s for readers who want to be rattled a little, who want to sit with shadows and still see the flicker of flame inside them.
November 18, 2025
As a sequel, Heir of Flame and Shadow shines in three main areas: character, atmosphere, and emotional stakes.
Mina is a compellingly “difficult” heroine. She is angry, exhausted, and often wrong, yet fiercely protective in ways that feel honest for someone carrying so much loss. Her guilt over Saif, her fear of becoming a monster, and her refusal to let others bleed in her place create a protagonist who is easy to root for even when she makes terrible choices. The shadow-self scenes, where a darker version of Mina tempts her with power and release, are some of the book’s most memorable moments—they turn internal struggle into vivid, unsettling imagery rather than simple angst.
The southern tribe setting is a standout. The sensory details of camp life—tents, tattoos, food, the temperature whiplash between day and night—give the book a grounded, lived-in feel. Turfa and Shamma, in particular, are excellent additions: Turfa as quiet emotional ballast, Shamma as chaotic knife-wielding gremlin who desperately wants to matter. Their presence softens and complicates Mina at the same time, adding warmth and humor to a very heavy story.
Ashrush continues to be the book’s sharpest blade. He’s frightening, often cruel, yet his loyalty to Mina and her bloodline gives his possessiveness a tragic edge. The epilogue revelation about how long he’s been guarding her family, and the brutal cost Zyed pays to free Mina from him, adds a fresh, painful tangle to their dynamic. It’s messy in the best way—and perfectly suited to a world where bonds are literal chains.
On the craft side, the novel does occasionally circle the same emotional beat (especially around guilt and danger) a touch too often, and some of the Veil exposition could be streamlined for clarity. But the overall pacing holds, and key emotional and action climaxes land with force.
Most importantly, the book refuses to offer easy answers. Victories are partial, losses stick, and Mina ends the story more powerful but also more burdened. That commitment to consequence makes this a satisfying and emotionally resonant second installment—and sets the stage for a finale that has a lot of rich, well-earned threads to pull.
Reviewd By Aida
October 5, 2025
The Review
The world-building and mythology were so incredible that I got lost in this world. The reader is truly thrust into this world, with the unforgiving and gritty tone that the beginning of this story brings, along with the cruel desert setting and the troubled way many treat the protagonist due to signs pointing to her association with Jinn, making this world feel both dangerous and heavy in lore and magic. The imagery that the author’s writing conjures is as powerful as the Jinn that are discovered early on in the narrative, and the expansion upon the mythology that speaks to both the main characters’ origins and the world that existed beyond the Veil was terrific to see come to life on the page.
What stood out to readers, though, was not just this mythos, but the heavy themes the author explores and the emotional connection readers will have with the protagonist and this cast of characters. Themes of identity, as the protagonist grapples with the duality of her power and her mysterious past, as well as themes of grief, loss, and regret, all play a beautiful symphony on the page, as readers become lost in the overwhelming nature of the protagonist's struggles. The emotional rollercoaster readers go on with her, and the way it elevates the action and suspense of this story will keep readers invested as the story progresses.
The Verdict
Memorable, entertaining, and thrilling, author Ahlam Faris’s “Heir of Flame and Shadow” is a worthy addition to the Rings and Chains series and a must-read fantasy thriller. The twists and turns in the story, along with the shocking revelations about the protagonist’s origins and the villain she must soon face, will keep readers on the edge of their seats, eager for the next installment in the series.
The world-building and mythology were so incredible that I got lost in this world. The reader is truly thrust into this world, with the unforgiving and gritty tone that the beginning of this story brings, along with the cruel desert setting and the troubled way many treat the protagonist due to signs pointing to her association with Jinn, making this world feel both dangerous and heavy in lore and magic. The imagery that the author’s writing conjures is as powerful as the Jinn that are discovered early on in the narrative, and the expansion upon the mythology that speaks to both the main characters’ origins and the world that existed beyond the Veil was terrific to see come to life on the page.
What stood out to readers, though, was not just this mythos, but the heavy themes the author explores and the emotional connection readers will have with the protagonist and this cast of characters. Themes of identity, as the protagonist grapples with the duality of her power and her mysterious past, as well as themes of grief, loss, and regret, all play a beautiful symphony on the page, as readers become lost in the overwhelming nature of the protagonist's struggles. The emotional rollercoaster readers go on with her, and the way it elevates the action and suspense of this story will keep readers invested as the story progresses.
The Verdict
Memorable, entertaining, and thrilling, author Ahlam Faris’s “Heir of Flame and Shadow” is a worthy addition to the Rings and Chains series and a must-read fantasy thriller. The twists and turns in the story, along with the shocking revelations about the protagonist’s origins and the villain she must soon face, will keep readers on the edge of their seats, eager for the next installment in the series.
August 28, 2025
I finished this book last night and I was one of the lucky readers that got to be ARC before the publication.
This book is literally one of my most anticipated books and I feel so happy that I ended up loving it as much as I did.
The book is the second in the Rings and chains book series by the indie author @authorahlamfaris . The series is unfortunately very underrated even though it’s awsome.
The series has arabian aesthetics with an awsome magical system, a strong independent female character and a gripping story.
When I read the first book last summer, I thought that it was very good and five starred it, but this one was on a whole other level.
I am in awe of how one can create something so good and detailed. The world building was easy to understand, the characters very lovable and the story, super easy to follow.
I’ve been very busy with schoolwork and I barely had time to read so I was in a reading slump, this book however managed to pull me out of the slump immediately and kept me hooked until the last sentence of the acknowledgments.
It comes out soon, the 15th of September.
I would very much recommend it.
Please check out the authors page because she’s such a kind soul and her books are definitely worth every second of your time.
This book is literally one of my most anticipated books and I feel so happy that I ended up loving it as much as I did.
The book is the second in the Rings and chains book series by the indie author @authorahlamfaris . The series is unfortunately very underrated even though it’s awsome.
The series has arabian aesthetics with an awsome magical system, a strong independent female character and a gripping story.
When I read the first book last summer, I thought that it was very good and five starred it, but this one was on a whole other level.
I am in awe of how one can create something so good and detailed. The world building was easy to understand, the characters very lovable and the story, super easy to follow.
I’ve been very busy with schoolwork and I barely had time to read so I was in a reading slump, this book however managed to pull me out of the slump immediately and kept me hooked until the last sentence of the acknowledgments.
It comes out soon, the 15th of September.
I would very much recommend it.
Please check out the authors page because she’s such a kind soul and her books are definitely worth every second of your time.
September 16, 2025
After stealing all the Royal’s gold rings Mina is on the run. With the royal guard and a Prince on her tail she has no choice but to head to the southern desert, beyond the borders of the kingdom. As luck should have it she finds herself taken in by a tribe with a warrior who has dozens of jinn rings, even a golden one. But the journey has taken its toll on both her and her guardian are weakened and Mina is struggling with the growing darkness in her. But as new friendships are born and old friendships rekindled, Mina's goal is still the same, gather all the King Jinn rings and set them free.
So this was a quick read (for me at least) and I enjoyed the continuation of Mina's story. And I am so glad we got so many answers in this story about both Mina and Ashrush. Shamma was a great new character and I wonder how her Moon Dancer blood will factor into the story going forward. Given what we find out about Mina I worry what will happen between her and Zyed. All in all this was a good read and I cannot wait to read the next (last?) part of the series.
Rating 3.5 stars
*I received a review copy from the BookSirens for my voluntary and honest review
So this was a quick read (for me at least) and I enjoyed the continuation of Mina's story. And I am so glad we got so many answers in this story about both Mina and Ashrush. Shamma was a great new character and I wonder how her Moon Dancer blood will factor into the story going forward. Given what we find out about Mina I worry what will happen between her and Zyed. All in all this was a good read and I cannot wait to read the next (last?) part of the series.
Rating 3.5 stars
*I received a review copy from the BookSirens for my voluntary and honest review
August 14, 2025
Very enjoyable. I need to reread the first book again but this one dove tails beautifully. Mina has been through do much I’m glad she is finally getting some answers. Ashrush has been there through it all personally I think he feels more for Mina than he either expected to or realizes. He is correct in saying that Zyed will only be there for a short span of time. She will need to have another way to control her Ifrit when Zyed is gone.
Shamma has a story too one that I would love to read
What is a moon dancer and if she is one can she truely be one all of what she is ment to be?
Circles in time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Shamma has a story too one that I would love to read
What is a moon dancer and if she is one can she truely be one all of what she is ment to be?
Circles in time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 11, 2025
I had enjoyed this as a second chapter in the Rings and Chains series, it had that element that I enjoyed from Daughter of Light and Dark. It uses the dark fantasy element in a way that was engaging and worked overall in the mythology in this world. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and how Mina has grown from this book. Ahlam Faris was able to weave a strong world with characters that I was hoping for and glad it continued the story perfectly.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 13, 2025
Book two raises the stakes in all the best ways. Mina’s journey is intense, emotional, and deeply personal haunted by her past and forced to face her inner darkness, she becomes a more layered and powerful protagonist.
The writing is beautiful and fast-paced, with emotional depth and action that pulls you in. I loved getting to know Mina more as she pieces together truths about herself and the world around her.
A strong sequel that deepens the story and characters I enjoyed it even more than book one!
The writing is beautiful and fast-paced, with emotional depth and action that pulls you in. I loved getting to know Mina more as she pieces together truths about herself and the world around her.
A strong sequel that deepens the story and characters I enjoyed it even more than book one!
September 21, 2025
I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is the second on Ring and Chains series my most anticipated read. First book was great but this one surpassed my five stars. Love the story well written, love each character well executed. I honestly recommend this book to anyone.
October 16, 2025
Book 2 is a great sequel to Book 1. I have loved following Mina and the Lord of Chains in their adventure/ quest to try and free the jinn from their rings. The plot twist toward the end got me with my jaw wide open.... I will not spoil what happened for anyone. Please just go read it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews