A Torch Against the Night: 2 (Ember in the Ashes)

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When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself-a mission that might destroy her, instead. She is deeply torn between her due loyalty to her family and the Empire and the strong relationship that binds her to Elias, and from the very beginning she resolves to act according to the obligations of the first. She forgot how Keenan belittled her or suffocated her because he was so warm and familiar and I couldn’t help but shout YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM DARN IT, GET OVER HIS WARMTH! Picking up where An Ember in the Ashes left off, this book follows Laia and Elias as they flee the Emperor, the Commandant and well, pretty much everyone.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire's twisted new leader, Marcus.Picking up where 'An Ember in the Ashes' left off, 'A Torch Against the Night' proved to be every bit as suspenseful and action-packed as the first book.

A Torch Against the Night takes readers into the heart of the Empire as Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia’s brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. A thrilling sequel to an incredibly riveting series, A Torch Against The Night is ultimately a story about strength in the face of unknown danger, compassion in the face of violence, and it explores themes of slavery, racism, and colonialism through the experiences of incredibly well-developed characters. Don't lock yourself away from those who care about you because you think you'll hurt them or - or they'll hurt you.My only disappointment is that the second book focused so much on the character development of Helene, Elias, and Laia, that we could not learn enough about the villain’s backstories. Her interactions with one main character in particular constituted some of my favourite parts of the book. This really helps to raise the tension at the beginning and each chapter/point of view (POV) ends with a disquieting moment, or important revelation which serves to drive the pace of the story and encourages you to read further. I was rooting for them the whole way through and let out a little squeak of excitement as they gradually got closer to one another! I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that things will heat up a little, because I'm dying for some romance.

There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, listening to thunderous indie rock, and playing guitar and piano badly.all the magical bits from An Ember in the Ashes - the parts that i was so frustrated about not getting explanations for when i learned it was conceived as a standalone, are fully defined here, and they add an extra layer of intrigue to what was already a pretty kickass world. I can’t wait to see what happens between them in the third book because I just need them to get together! it's almost unfair to have a character who is unmatched in fighting prowess - it takes the elements of danger and tension away from any action scenes. Granted, the protagonists did escape a rather messy situation last time round, but the chase dragged on for far longer than I wanted it to. An Ember in the Ashes is one of my favorite YA fantasy debuts; Sabaa Tahir’s world was mesmerizing yet brutal, and it was so easy to lose myself in the bloody story of an Empire inspired by Greek and Roman culture.

I just hope that A Reaper at the Gates will meet the standards of the first book, and resurrect my somehow shaken faith in these characters and their respective quests! Truthfully I could gush about this novel for a while but I feel like the less said the better; this is definitely the sort of text that you’ll want to unravel for yourself. I mentioned earlier that I thought Laia and Elias were lacking in a depth that was fully provided by An Ember in the Ashes.

Other things worth mentioning: the Aquilla family; Avitas Harper (omg you're gonna love him and I hope he plays a bigger part in the following books); KEENAN HOLY SHIT KEENAN; Izzzzzzyyyyyy; COOK; Shaeva (oh, sweetie); Afya, the most badass and honorable Zaldara ever; Elias with children around -- you're not up to it, I'm telling you. While the instalovetriangle was present in the previous book, it didn’t bother me that much because I was certain Laia and Elias were made for each other. From the hype that surrounded this book, I was super excited to read it, and when it started off with action, I thought oh yay this is going to be one of those fast paced excellent books! In one episode I thought she was nice, in another I thought she was annoying, in another I said to myself "Oh! And when it hits, it hurts, but not as badly, because you have locked away your weakness, and all that’s left is anger and strength.