A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes)

I brought the first book, An Ember in the Ashes, two months ago based off the cover when I saw it on someone's Tumblr page. I got it, researched it and found out a sequel was coming out late August, So I said what the heck and ordered it. (Without reading the first one yet) And I am so glad I did. After reading the first one, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about these characters and their stories. And when I finally got A Torch Against the Night, I could not put it down. I enjoyed this book much better than I did the second one and I can't wait for the 3rd and 4th one.

So good but it rips my heartstrings! Never could guess what comes next! So much emotion to feel while reading, anger, sadness , confusion, joy I mean what the heck will happen next!!! The next will not come soon enough , so many question need answers and I want to say more but don't want to give anything away!!! What they heck will happen to them, so much they've been through and so much more to come! I need to know!!!!!!

A Torch Against the Night is Sabaa Tahir's second book in the An Ember in the Ashes series (that's right SERIES! As when I write this today, Sabaa announces an additional two books will be added to the series at large!). Which is a good thing because this one ends with so many loose-ends and whatnot that I would be most unhappy if that was the actual end for our characters. Even with one more book, as I initially thought this would be a trilogy would feel rushed with all the need to tie up those loose-ends! But I'm getting ahead of myself here!

While a great deal of things happen in this one, on the same hand not much truly happens. But this is in no way a bad thing. I enjoyed all the buildup to things to come. And I am pretty sure the next book is going to be explosive! We have Laia and Elais on the run from the Commandant and certain death while they try to make their way to Kauf, the prison where Darin, Laia's brother, is being held prisoner.

Not long into their journey they are joined by Keenan and Izzi, who I was most excited to see! I always liked Keenan and his broody moods, but yet how he developed a softer side when it came to Laia. And Izzi is truly one of teh most bravest characters I've met in this series! Plus she's a very loyal friend to Laia.

The danger is amped up a bit when we learn that Elias has been poisoned and doesn't have long to live, but he will do everything possible to rescue Darin before his time comes to an abrupt end. This I think truly adds to the danger and pacing because I couldn't reas fast enough to see if he would make it or not.

Then there's Helene, who's got a few chapters of her own. She's now the Blood Shrike to the emperor--Marcus--and her first mission is to find Elias and bring him back for a public execution. Which Helene will have to administer. Helene has a lot of inner battling going on because a part of her still loves Elias, but then she's also hurt because he essentially chose Laia over her. This definitely makes the love complication I talked about in the first book even more messy, for Laia and Elias still have that other person who they care for, but they still care for one another.

The love complication, as I said, remains to be messy in this one. Though it does seem Helene is trying to do her duty to the emperor and also because she needs to protect her family. Then there's Laia and Keenan and of course Elias. I always enjoyed Keenan's character like I said and I must say I was completely surprised by how this love complication gets settled. At least on one side. it's too soon to say for the other half. Plus, more obstacles still stand between....everyone!

There's a lot of detail to what happens in here and I don't want to get into all of it because of spoilers. But you can know that this was a remarkable read filled with lots of tension, action, suspense, and of course some stolen moments of romance. There's secrets abound in this one too! There's so much mystery surrounding a certain character that we've been getting hints at for two books now. I can't wait for clear answers! Obviously, we can gather some things about what's going on, but for me, I'm the kind of reader who needs to know exactly what's what! LOL!

The ending to this one was good! It's not entirely cliffhangery, but a nice pause in the actiony moments. There's still a great deal to come for all our characters involved. And I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Marcus gets a few chapters pov's next time, because he too is going through somethings that we only get hints of!

A Torch Against the Night was an incredibly alluring read and I am anticipating the release of the third book to see what fates await all our favorite characters! If you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend it! It's a nice fantasy read that isn't overly hard to understand its world and rules and naturally, it's one dangerous place to live in! Good thing I'm just a reader on the outside! LOL! Yet another fabulous read from the talented Sabaa Tahir that leaves me craving for more...but at least this time I am not screaming in agony while I wait! ;)

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

I loved getting to know the characters better on their journey and quest to liberate Darin, Laila's brother from prison. The brushes with danger and romance kept me reading to the end and wanting more. I like the way the story follows Elias, Helene, and Laila using their voices through their own chapters. I liked viewing the story through their eyes. The book is full of twists and turns and mega surprises. Saba Tahir is an outstanding author with an amazing ability to help the reader see the landscape and feel the emotions of each character. However, sometimes when reading Elias' chapters I sometimes thought it was Laila's point of view. With that said, I can't wait until the next book.

I enjoyed this book, but there is definitely a disconnect from the first book in the series. I can't say I'd recommend this to someone who enjoyed the first book in the series because this deviates to largely politics. I expected this to play deeply into the resistance and mask elements, but they really take a back burner for most of the book and are only secondary elements to the characters themselves. I'm not sure I'll be continuing this book series due to the quick change in focus.

I'm not sure what madness this book is. I can't tell if I love it or hate it. Elias and Laia are like Romeo and Juliet. there's a blasted love triangle gone bad. throw in some dark magic and it is one check of a ride. it's interesting with enough sadness that it keeps you reading. I wonder if it's really necessary to keep torturing us with the star crossed lover deal? I did find it helpful that a third point of view from the empire was written. in any case it's a good book and the mythology interlaced adds something new.

YA books tend to have the same base story and repeat the formulas. Even so, this was a very entertaining read. On top of that, It is rarely that i find a second book as interesting or better as The first one. This was such a book. The book was well paced and kept my attention. Some of The misteries were solved and yet left a taste for more. Im intriguided to read about The rest of Elyas and layas story.

Sabaa Tahir is a very talented storyteller. I haven't read a book this good in a long time (as was the first book in the series). Original, romantic, tragic, with some unexpected twists. Each chapter is exciting in itself. Then because each chapter is told from the viewpoint of different characters (rotating between the three main ones) you always want to read the next chapter. My husband got annoyed at the many late nights I was up reading! It is a very dark civilization, and at times was hard for me to read about such a violent world. But the characters are intriguing and complex. They each give you a different sense of hope. I was frustrated to get to the end and find that she is still writing the last two books because you are left hanging! I will definitely be preordering the next one!

Once again, be careful to not give yourself paper cuts bc of the page-turning madness you are about to embark on. The continued world-building was magnificent. The genocide scenes were difficult to read, but the underlying message we all need to hear can't be ignored. The characters were so real, their world so real, this escape leaves you gripping the book for dear life. All the fist pumps. Cannot wait for the rest of this series.

A Torch Against the Night continues Laia and Elias' story in the same fast paced way that An Ember in the Ashes showed. It was as entertaining and misterious, but I felt the plot was a bit more predictable than in the first book. After a while, I got a general vibe of how things were going to go, and it was kind of hard to be surprised after that, mostly I found myself getting angry at characters for not noticing signs sooner. Despite this, I am a great believer in the joy of the process and I was very interested in how things actually happened. It was a very quick read and it was so fast paced that it was hard to put down. My biggest problem with the series continues to be the fact that I never seem to ship the correct couples :)
Pd: If you read it, be sure to read the author's note at the end, it has some very book-appropiate song recomendations.

Better than what I would have ever expected, Sabaa Tahir expertly captures the pain, suffering, joy, passion, and strength of all the characters shaping an intricate plot that holds your interest until the very last word.
Can't wait for the next book!!!!!!
I personally loved all of the characters, I could never decide between one of them although I do think that Helene had it the worst out of the three :(. But I loved how you could measure the growth of the characters from the first book and how all the pieces of the puzzle cane together in the end. Wonderfully written.

This sequel was outstanding! It took me to places I wasn't expecting! I am so in love with this world and with these characters. There was love and light, and there was also such darkness and sorrow. Everything about this series and books are MUST READ! I haven't encountered one person who hasn't enjoyed reading this series so far! Highly recommended!

Very good second book, tied up a lot of loose ends the first book left behind. This book definitely built up several characters that were very iffy in my opinion and made me see their true potential. The main characters become more complex and the story line definitely leaves you wanting to start the third book. I really hope the author publishes the third book soon.

In just a few words, Torch elevates itself with a deeper range of antagonists, an oddly philosophical look at grief and violence, and subtle but effective prose. It manages to take a journey that would be skipped over in a chapter in any other book and turn it into something more worthy than most of the competition.

If there's anything to complain about, it's that the protagonists are pretty poor at putting things together. For the sake of the plot, these intelligent characters often act pretty foolish.

Also, it managed to combine the trope of the psychopathic, beautiful, similarly-aged male antagonist in love with the protagonist with the trope of the old, broken idealist who is almost certainly the protagonist's parent type of antagonist into the same person.

And that's just odd.

LOVED. These characters and their story have me ensnared! The tension in this book! I did not see some of the twists coming. The emotional and physical journey of each character is masterfully written; something love in a novel. I am a bit torn about the ending (in good and bad ways!). I am excited to read the next novel in the series.

This was one of those books where I was nervous all the way through for the characters. I was nervous to put it down, but also nervous to finish too soon. That's a lot of nerves! Elias is an absolutely wonderful character. It's a treat to spend time with him. I am really hoping he doesn't end up trapped in a certain place for the rest of the series! Feels like Laia still has some growing to do - but that feels authentic for where her character would be. Cannot wait to see where the story will go and have had a sense of melancholy since finishing. I wanted more time in that world. Sign of a great read.

A Torch Against the Night is a book filled with non-stop action and it captivated me from the very first page. An Ember in the Ashes was originally intended to be a standalone book, however as readers we can't tell that by reading this book. Tahir drops us right where we left off from book one, Laia and Elias are on the run from the Empire. Helene is now Blood Shrike to Marcus, he who is now Emperor.

One major thing that Tahir did in this book was to build on her characters. Laia was never a favorite of mine, however she continuously stepped up to the plate and did just as much heroics as Elias did. She is no damsel in distress. The empire hunts them both. At the helm of that hunt is none other than Elias' mother the Commadant. She's ruthless, cunning, and most certainly has an ulterior motive. Elias and her cross blades, and he comes away a little worse for wear. I won't say too much, but their fight was a huge turning point for Elias' storyline.

Elias begins to traverse between the living and the death and this opens up a huge paranormal theme-like plot. It becomes the major focus of Elias' chapters and I found them deeply intriguing. Elias takes off his "mask" and you see a tender side to him that we haven't quite seen before.

While Elias fights for his life, Laia is there almost every step of the way, and even when she isn't, she's fighting her hardest to return back to Elias. Their goal is to break out Laia's brother who knows the secrets of Serric Steel, which could ultimately cripple the Empire's power. During their journey, they not only meet the Commandant, but they also cross paths with Helene.

Helene was hands down my favorite character and storyline in this book. Her internal struggle of being loyal to the Empire while also wanting to be loyal to Elias was so intense to read about. She's cunning, strong, and I loved the power struggle she had against the Commandant. We found out she's in fact what the book title is referencing, "A Torch Against the Night". Towards the end of the book, we see that she's the only one who can truly protect the Empire from what's to come. War is coming on all sides, and she may be the only one who can honestly save them all.

There were plenty of "OMG" moments, one in particular towards the end. I was not expecting it, and that shows you how talented Sabaa Tahir really is. A Torch Against the Night is gritty, emotional, full of in-your-face violence, and doesn't apologize for it's dark seducing themes. It encompasses a cast full of characters who all move with a purpose, and each of them will fight tooth and nail to see that purpose come to fruition. This was a stellar sequel, and I look forward to see how this series will end with the next book.

Happy Reading!

This book is a powerhouse from start to finish. Torch hits the ground running and weaves a story so powerful, intriguing, epic, smart, sorrowful, joyful, and exciting. This book was amazing and made me feel so many things! Can't WAIT for the next one!

It is a fine story. I gave it four stars but really only 3.5.
Here's why-----
For one it's to long,way to long. It needed more editing. It's a story of good vs evil. It's not anything new but ohhhhh how well is the evil written. For me their were just to many contrived twists and turns in the story. To much fake drama.
The female protagonists character is sloppy,she's indecisive,dare I say weak. I dislike the way she has been brought along in this second book.
The male protagonist is not much better. I hated the Soul Catcher angle. I saw it coming from the first mention. It was weak writing. I wanted so much more from these two.
Frankly I was disappointed. These are people I want to identify with,to cheer on. Every step of the story they both seemed weak. Barely scraping by from one incident to another.

For me the good vs evil plot is interesting only if you can give that evil scope. Bring it to life. I want to feel my blood boil at the transgressions. I want that emotional pull as I give myself to the story.
The book has some truly evil CHARACTERS. This I applaud. This made the book worth reading. Marcus, the Warden, Kerris. Some of the best Villains in any book I've read in a while. Tas broke my heart.

I like Cook, Helen,and a couple of others. These sub plots were well written. The burning of the prison was superbly crafted. By far the best writing in this story.
Overall the story does holds promise..Helen was the only one to do her part when the Evil came for her and she paid a high price. The other two now must do their part.

This book felt like it only exists to set up book 3. Not nearly as good as Ember. Worse, I predicted the ending of the entire book before I finished the first few chapters.

Most of the time I felt like I was reading Lord of the Rings: aaaand they're running. And they're running. Ah, more running. Somebody gets killed. Aaaaaaand they're running again. More running.

Then some random people get killed again. Rinse, repeat. Over-all, not a very good book. I'm disappointed after how good the first one was.

Do not read this book until you have read An Ember in the Ashes. I could not put either of these books down. Sabaa Tahir is one of my top favorite authors now. If you like suspense and drama and can stomach a little bit of violence, then you may want to check out Ember in the Ashes series.

This book was amazing. It had a lot of unexpected turns, like Keenan being the Nightbringer. However, I wish the author were not so set on Laia and Elias. Am I the only one who sees that Helene and Elias are perfect for each other? Instead, the book ends up with her as a hermit.

A Torch Against the Night is the highly anticipated sequel to An Ember in the Ashes, which I absolutely adored! And boy oh boy did I love this sequel!

Elias and Laia have escaped Blackcliff Academy and the clutches of and the Commandant, but they are still in ever-increasing danger. They are wanted fugitives trying to travel to Kauf prison to rescue Laia's brother, and their road is not an easy one! They encounter many old friends, and make lots of new friends and enemies (of course).

Another exciting thing about this book is that we get a third perspective thrown in the mix: Helene. Newly named the Blood Shrike, it is Helene's duty to track down Laia and Elias and execute them publicly. She is torn between her friendship with Elias and her duty to Marcus (now Emperor) and the Empire.

I read this in one (very long) sitting. If you go into Torch expecting what you got in Ember, you'll be disappointed. There's little Blackcliff, no "competition" -- it's just very different. But that's not necessarily a bad thing!

I think Sabaa Tahir has succeeded in writing a different, but intriguing (and heartbreaking and exciting) sequel. There are so many twists, so many deceptions, and I just loved it to death! My emotions were in shambles when I reached the last page, and now we all have to wait until 2018 to get the next book! *cries*

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would have loved to have given it another star, but the middle of the book dragged quite a bit, too heavy with yet another love triangle and a female character so wrapped up in her fickle feelings. On the other hand, the three stars are dedicated to my growing attachment to a few characters, for their stories are tragic and I desperately hope to see them rise above the challenges set before them. To avoid spoilers, I'll not write their names. The book ends at exactly the wrong and right moment. Wrong for us readers and perfectly for the author to hook us into the next story. I will definitely be reading the last book.

I want to preface this by saying while I enjoyed the first book in this series, I wasn't in love. And I must be the only person in the world that had such a strong dislike for Helene.

But things have changed.

While reading A Torch Against the Night, from page 1 I was grabbed into the story. I just could not put it down. Not only that, my feelings about my most hated character changed somewhat. Go Sabaa for making me truly love pretty much everything about this book!

We start off pretty much moments after the end of An Ember in the Ashes, with Laia and Elias running for their lives. Of course, nothing goes right while they flee, and things just begin to look grimmer and grimmer.

Laia ends up doing even more than we could have expected to get her and Elias to safety. I mean, she's with a Mask, right? You'd think he'd be the one to do everything, because Mask. But she truly shines. We learn some interesting little background things about everyone, and some really cool new characters are introduced. I can't wait to ship them!

There are twists and surprises around every turn. Okay, was I actually surprised? No. I had weirdly guessed half the twists in this book before they happened. But trust me, I am not sure how I guessed so many of them. And even when the things I was expecting to happen did in fact happen, I was raging and whatnot about how crazy that twist was. Because while I may have had that theory, I didn't really expect it to go in that direction. Or at least I'd hoped it didn't for the characters' sakes.

It's a rare book that gets you screaming and jumping for joy and hoping for more. I, for one, cannot wait for the next book.

Reasons to read this book
1) Because ships!
2) Magic!
3) You liked the first book and were curious about the second
4) I need to say it again. Ships!
5) Death lore
6) Betrayals and unexpected twists!

Reasons not to read this book
1) You didn't like the first book
2) That whole love square really got your goat and you don't think you could go through another book with everyone so confused

Overall
While I liked the first book, I truly loved this one. And I am so anxious now for the next book. Even if you were on the fence about the first one, I would suggest continuing on with the series.

First of all, let me start off by saying how much I looked forward to this sequel. For over a year, ever since I read the last word of An Ember in the Ashes, I have been painstakingly waiting for the sequel to come out so I can finally gain closure. I ADORED An Ember in the Ashes and made sure to re-read it again before the release of the sequel so I could eagerly dive in where I left off. Wow...words cannot even begin to describe how let down and disappointed I am. For as much as I fell in love with the first book, this second one managed to reach back and completely obliterate all of my adoration for this story.

What pains me the most is that book one held so much promise of a delicately budding, pure, and passionate love amidst all of the ugliness of the Empire. It was a promise of hope that even in such a desolate and wasted backdrop, something beautiful could flourish. The ending practically screamed at the reader to just hold on--that the two young people in love were so close to being able to bring their dreams into fruition!

...At that, I'm not even going to say anything else because it's all just going to be spoilers from here on out. Suffice it for me to reiterate that this was one of the biggest disappointments in non-closure and book-reading history that I've experienced in a long while.

A Torch Against the Night exceeded my acceptation. I am always nervous when it comes to second book because let’s face it sometimes it’s hard to follow-up a popular debut book. Sabaa Tahir battled against all of those second book stereotypes and came out as victories as a Mask. This book will forever have my tear stains imprinted into the pages. Okay now I am going to try to put on my mask face and get my emotions under control so I can do this review.

A Torch Against the Night picks up where we were left hanging in An Ember of Ashes. After saving Elias from death Laia and Elias are running for their life in a dangerous quest to save her brother from the most famous prison Kauf. The mission and journey there as all things never goes as planned.

“Don’t look so worried. Most successful missions are just a series of barely averted disasters.” – Elias

The plot of this book finally gave us some answers to the questions that have plague us all since book 1. One question in particular that is touch upon is about the Nightbringer. We finally got to learn a little about the history about the King of the Jinn and what he really wants. There is still so many question I have running through my head but at least we got some answers.

Laia has become a force to reckon with in this book. Dear god her character is the definition of character development. The fact that it was a slow growth and that I see how each event in the story changes made me connect with her more than I did in book 1.

She faces so many challenges that test everything that she is and it’s beginning to mold her into the person she was always meant to be. She takes a lot of hits in this book and has to make some tough calls that aren’t always the right call. She must find a way to deal with the consequences of her choices.

“Your emotions make you human,” Elias says. “Even the unpleasant ones have a purpose. Don’t lock them away. If you ignore them, they just get louder and angrier.”

What I love most about Laia is that when she makes a bad mistake she learns from it then lifts her chin and tries again.

“It takes only a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.”

Elias was everything I need in this book! Apparently freedom from Blackcliff has done wonders for his personality. I never realized he had such a dry sense of humor and I loved every moment of it.

“I should just build a bleeding house here,” I mutter as I pick myself up off the snow-covered ground. “Maybe get a few chickens. Plant a garden.” – Elias

Elias is at a consent battle with the memories of the horrible things that Blackcliff has done to him and made him do in the name of the Empire. During the journey he is struggling not only to find out who is without the mask but trying to make amends for all the blood that has stained his hand after the trails in book 1.

“Don’t you see? As long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.” -to Elias

The relationship and partnership between Laia and Elias was wonderful. They are the complete opposite but they seem to make each other better people. They each bring out the best qualities of each other. Plus, I will go down with this beautiful ship!

“You are my temple,” I murmur as I kneel beside her. “You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release.” – Elias

Helena was a character that got on my nerves a little in book one but I have to say in this book I fell in love with her. I dare say I enjoyed her point of view more than I did the Elias and Laia’s. Helena is the Blood Shrike to the new slightly completely crazy Emperor Marcus. She is struggling with her loyalty to the Empire and her friend who is now a traitor.

“Veturius is a Mask like the rest of us, yes. Bold, brave, strong, swift. But those were afterthoughts for him. Elias sees people as they should be, not as they are. He laughs at himself. He gives of himself – in everything he does. […] He’s the things that I can’t be. He’s good.” -Helena

Helena has some major growth in this book and is face with some hard choices. Helena realizes that sometimes the easy choice isn’t always the right choice, and some times it takes more than blood and sweat to save an Empire from crumbling.

“But you, Helene Aquilla, are no swift-burning spark. You are a torch against the night – if you dare to let yourself burn.”

Overall this book was a wonderful, thrilling, and breath-taking addition to the brilliance of An Ember of the Ashes. I am so excited to read A Reaper at the Gates that comes out in June and see where this story will lead to next. If you haven’t read this book I highly recommend it!

“Failure doesn't define you. It's what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.”

So often, the second book of a series is the most boring, or the most uncomfortable. It's the bridge between the excitement at the beginning and the end. I'm happy to say that this is not the case with A Torch Against the Night. It had some second-book elements, but it was done in a way that didn't make them feel tedious or painful. Instead, it's engaging, answers small questions while raising bigger ones, and draws you in so that you can't escape no matter what you do.

I hadn't intended to read this during my 25 in 5 readathon, but as soon as I finished An Ember in the Ashes, I needed this book and downloaded it immediately.

“So long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.”

*Spoilers for book 1 in the following plot description*

To readers' delight, this book picks up right where the last one left off: Elias and Laia are running through the tunnels under Blackcliff, trying to escape with their lives. They have to get to the prison where Laia's brother is being held so that they can save him.

They eventually get on their way, but not without significant...complications. They are soon joined by other friendly faces, and the long, arduous trek ensues.

Meanwhile, Helene has no choice but to hunt them. I loved that her POV was added into the rotation. She faces an entirely different sort of battle, trying to do right by her duty and also her heart and family. We also meet a new character, Avitas Harper, who is anything but flat.

“It takes only a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.”

I truly couldn't put this book down. Besides the movement of the plot, which was fast-paced and enthralling, the development of the characters was fantastic. Helene is a masterpiece.

I downloaded book 3 as soon as I finished this one.

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SPOILER REVIEW

Hi, it’s Aashna! Today I am going to be reviewing A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir. Like I mentioned in my review for An Ember in the Ashes, I have been rereading this series in preparation for A Reaper at the Gates. While my experience rereading the first book was overwhelmingly positive, making me like the book more than I did the first time I read it, that was not the case here. Tahir still wrote a compelling, generally good book. It just didn’t capture that full sense of wonder and emotion as the first book. Everything scratched the surface when it could have gone deeper and most of my excitement or sorrow came from what the first book had set up, not what the second book had developed. I want to stress that I had a fantastic time reading this book. I flew through the whole thing in about two days and cannot wait the start the third. The book reviewer commitment I have is what is causing me to scrutinize an otherwise strong book, so closely. I will be drawing comparisons to the first book, since that’s the only real standard I have to hold this book to, so bear with me.

The plot of this book felt less sharp than I expected. Unlike the first book, this book was focused on maybe two big events that felt small in the grand scheme of things. Elias, Laia, and Helene were thinking big in the first book, which makes it more shocking that all of them began focusing less on big picture and more on the immediate. Elias and Laia were focused on escaping the Empire in the first book and now they spend the entire book trying to save one man without discussing their greater plans. Helene was focused on helping the Empire grow and now she spends the whole book grappling with her feelings for Elias.The incorporation of a revolution at Kauf Prison also made this whole thing feel muddled. You read a whole book where three characters are dead set on certain specific things and then they risk all of that to help with revolutions. It’s classically cliche for the YA genre to incorporate a revolution where it doesn’t belong.

There were relatively large time jumps between key moments of the journey to Kauf. I know it would be boring to show the entirety of a months-long journey, but I missed out on the connections and developments that happened along the way. Tahir only showed the big, exciting events, leaving out a balance of quieter ones that would have shaped the choices characters make later on. The best example of why the time jumps didn’t work is Izzi. One minute she’s terrified to even speak to the tribal people, the next she’s sacrificing her life for one of them. Where were her conversations with Laia about her feelings? About why she chose to come back? About her thoughts on Keenan and Elias?

The chapter endings were not as clever or nearly as suspenseful as last time. There was no pattern of give and take with the information that connected the perspectives. I think it must be because Helene’s perspective was added in, not that I’m complaining. The chapter endings were abnormally good in the first book and here they are average, which isn’t a problem in an otherwise great book.

Before I break down our three main characters in depth, I want to take a second to discuss how Tahir approached writing them, in general. The first book made me feel like I was experiencing things with the characters and in this one, I felt quite out of the loop. I was witness to what was happening to the characters, not living and learning with them. I can’t say whether this distance was created on purpose. I will say that this could make or break the next book, depending on whether the issue is resolved or not.

Laia became frustratingly weak in this book, which was incredibly frustrating. Regardless of how it was due to circumstance, it’s painful to watch someone so strong become so reliant on others to make decisions and validate her self-worth. This is not an issue with the writing, I know it was all on purpose and to build Laia up stronger in the next book, it was more an issue from a reader’s perspective. Even in Laia’s strongest moments, she sounded somewhat whiny. Her everlasting determination was the only tangible thing that made reading from her point of view bearable.

Elias was lovely, as always. His character development was slow, realistic, and suited to the plot. I appreciate how Tahir let the reader get to know Elias better through more subtle means than dumping exposition.

Helene is surprisingly, my new favorite character! I always thought she was cool, I mean, how could you not? This book just opened my eyes up to so much more about her than her fighting skills and unwavering loyalty. Her character had some sharp developments at the end, which I expect will be fully explained in the next book, so there’s no need to worry.

The love triangle between Elias, Laia, and Keenan was never that exciting. Of course, this is a YA novel, so it can be understood the readers live for the drama. Love them or hate them (I lean towards the latter), love triangles and a cliche boost that some stories need. In the first book, the tension worked. In my mind, Elias and Keenan had about equal chances. In the second book, that tension didn’t exist anymore. Elias and Keenan were never in direct competition with each other. Laia had her separate romances with the each of them in separate moments without overlap of feelings, ruining the main sentiment of a love triangle.

Let’s talk about the major plot twists. The Nightbringer one was surprising. I vaguely remembered something about the Nightbringer being Keenan from the first time I read this book, however I didn’t remember the details about why, how, and for how long. I felt personally impacted by his betrayal, which is not an easy thing for an author to do. It shows that Tahir created a genuine connection between the reader and her fictional characters. If I had to scrutinize the reveal, I would only say that I wish Laia reacted more. Everything was flying by so fast at that point that I didn’t get to see her properly mourn and talk about her loss. I expect this will be coming in the next book, so I’m not that worried. Elias’ decision to become the Soul Catcher was pretty obvious. Nevertheless, it was the perfect way to develop Elias’ character and I like how Tahir wasn’t afraid to bring him so close to death. Yes, there was a loophole (as there often is in YA), yet it made sense as wasn’t that much better than death, itself.

The ending was the definition of mic-drop. Tahir gave me everything I could have wanted in those last two pages and ended it with the perfect 2 lines. They wrapped up the story and left me pumped to pick up the next book. I practically ran to pull A Reaper at the Gates off my shelf.

I know my review sounds overly negative, although I didn’t mean for it to come off that way. I LOVE this book enough to give it 4 stars, and more importantly, I LOVE this series. A Torch Against the Night had it’s problems, but that doesn’t take away from the happiness I felt while reading it. My issues were nit-picky, not fundamental to my enjoyment of the story, which is far more important.

(Review taken from bookish blog Literary Weaponry)

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Mostly the “oh my!” part. If anyone read my review of An Ember in the Ashes, the first book of this series, you will know that I fell head over heels in love with this story and these characters. The moment I finished the first book I was already snagging this, its second installment, and diving in. If that isn’t the sign of a great story I don’t know what is. I read more than half of this book in one sitting and at 452 pages that isn’t chump change. Lets dive in!

What I Liked

-Laia’s character development is so well done. In the first book she was so terrified. Determined, but terrified. It ruled her and she was ashamed of it. In this book it was like she put her foot down and found this boundless strength inside that allowed her to control her fear and use it to accomplish her goals. She went from a frightened child to a magnificent heroine. Does she have a few missteps along the way? Sure, but that is part of her story, part of how she grows as a person. Laia is amazing.

-The pacing in this book was spot on. There was action, adventure, perilous peril, nail biting sequences, and gasps galore! At no point did I think, “Well, this story is in a bit of a lull so I’ll take a reading break.” No sir. I did not want to put it down. You get more depth into the characters and their struggles and successes to the point where you just can’t get enough of them.

-I mentioned this with the first book but it is so important I feel like it needs brought up again. There is absolutely no fat on this book. Every scene, every moment has a purpose. We have all read a book in a series that felt like filler (half of the Throne of Glass series for example) and that half of the scenes could have been cut. Tahir delivers. Every page has a purpose and you don’t want to miss a moment of it!

What I Didn’t Like

-I still love Helene, I really do, but I wasn’t entirely on board with her in this book. I won’t dive into it too much, because spoilers, but she felt lost. Confused. In truth, she was, and that was part of her purpose in this story but I’m hoping that in the third book she gets some justice. She deserves it. Helene has to make some incredibly difficult decisions in this story and my heart just aches for her.

Yup, that is all I didn’t like. I told you that I loved this book. Tahir’s writing is engaging and flows well, the story itself is engrossing, and the emotional response the story pulls from you is palpable. If you want a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat then I cannot recommend these books enough. I will leave you with one parting quip, I told you Keenan was trouble.

“So long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.”

Ohhhhhhh man. THIS book. It took me months to finish this. MONTHS. After falling deeply in love with An Ember in the Ashes, I immediately started on the second one, hungry for more Elias and Laia. Once I got through the first several chapters, however, I thought I knew exactly where this book was headed and I was not of fan. Some hardcore procrastination happened in a flimsy effort to prolong my time with my two favorite characters.

All I can say is, BOY WAS I WRONG. That’s what I get for thinking I know everything. By the time I reached the last page, I was kicking myself for putting this off for as long as I did. I will never doubt Sabaa Tahir again.

THE REHASH
When we last saw Elias and Laia, they were running for their lives away from Blackcliff Academy (and the Commandant. Ugh) and this book picks up right where we left off. Laia desperately needs help finding and breaking in to Kauf prison where her brother is being kept, and Elias readily agrees to team up. After spending his life around so much death and oppression, it’s his way of giving back and helping a greater good. Things are going swimmingly—at least, for two fugitives on the run—when the Commandant happens and throws a giant hitch in their plans. I know, it’s totally unlike her… *she said with bitter sarcasm*

Meanwhile, the two creeper twins Marcus and the Commandant are busy slaughtering innocent people and generally ruining everyone’s lives. Poor Helene is trapped as the new Blood Shrike and doing whatever Marcus tells her to—a horrifying thought. After the humiliating destruction Elias and Laia caused in their departure, Marcus and the Commandant are eager for blood and send Helene to apprehend her best friend and boy crush Elias. Because after all, if anyone could find him it’s her. With a heavy heart, Helene scours the countryside looking for Elias and gets hot on his trail.

Laia and Elias face setback after setback after setback and begin to doubt if they’ll ever make it to Kauf. They don’t even know if Laia’s brother will be alive by the time they reach it. But with the help of some new (and old) friends, the two FINALLY make it to Kauf prison.

And so does Helene… Dun dun DUNNNNNN!!!

THE GOOD
Both the beginning and ending of this book DEFINITELY kept me on my toes. So much happens in such a short period of time! At least it felt that way. Read one page and you’ve already gone through two fight scenes and an angsty almost-kiss. But what really kept me going were the great characters. I LOVE LAIA AND ELIAS SO MUCH!! Laia somehow manages to be both strong and vulnerable in the best way and there’s a humility about her that gives me all the feels. And Elias has had some serious bad luck, but uses his remorse as a motivator to be a better person. He has such a big heart and I’m so glad I can count him among my fictional husbands. Plus, the new characters we see in this book are great! Afya Ara-Nur IS MY GIRL and I love her sassy honesty.

It’s also worth mentioning again how awesome this universe is. I really love the strong roman vibes I get from this book because it feels so different from anything I’ve read. Every time Tahir describes the landscape and I get to compare it to the map, it gives me a little thrill.

Plus, there’s a WHOPPER of a twist at the end that I did not see coming at all. I had a few suspicions on what was going to happen, which is how I ended up reading this book for FOUR months, but I was definitely not even close.

THE UGLY
Okay, I admit it. Helene bothered me a little this time around. She bothered me a tad in the first one when she'd go on rants about how amazing the Empire is or how scholars deserve to be treated terribly. But then Elias lead her on the ENTIRE book only to ditch her at the very end, so I felt for Helene—especially because she got stuck with the creeper Marcus. UGH. At the end of this second book, however, something happens that she acts completely shocked about that I didn't find surprising in the least. I won't give anything away, but dang did it frustrate me at the end!!!

And I will say that I got a tad bored in the middle. Maybe bored is the wrong word because there was always something happening, but it definitely dragged on a little. I hated the parts with Laia and Ian together. I just wanted the story to GET ON WITH IT. That could be my frustration talking though because GRRR @ IAN’S ENTIRE CHARACTER.

FINAL WORD
Was this sequel as good at the first? No, I don’t think so, but it was still an amazing book and I highly recommend this series! Can’t wait to get my hands on A Reaper at the Gates!!!!

It took me a long time to listen to this one, not because it was bad by any means, just because I kept on forgetting that I had this one on audio!

This audio version was a little different than the first book since we get Helene's perspective on this one so there was a third narrator in the mix. I really liked the narrator for Helene and I think she was exactly what I thought this character would sound like. Although, I have to admit I'm not really a fan of this character. I get that it's needed to show how The Empire is terrible to even their own people, and we see how Helene trying to protect her friend really puts her in a bad position. At the same time, I just couldn't get over how nonchalant she is about having slaves and being okay with slavery being a thing in this society. I think we are supposed to be bothered by it, but it really made it hard for me to like this character. I think I'm in the minority here, because I know a lot of other readers really loved her storyline.

Laia and Elias both go on their own hero's journey both together and apart, and I really like the magic and mystic that is woven into their stories. There is more about that later in the book, and there are some big reveals, but I don't want to spoil anything. I find their relationship interesting and I always thought they were meant to be together, so imagine my surprise when Laia started hooking up with the Scholar Boy Keenan. I DID NOT trust that dude at all, and I was really suspicious about his motives the whole time.

There were some big twists in this novel that I definitely did not see coming, and it made for a really interesting read. I liked this one a lot, but there was just something that made it not worthy of a 5-star review. (I hoard those for books that I absolutely love). It was good, but I think maybe I needed something more out it, and I'm not exactly sure what that is.

I definitely am going to finish this series, and I'm pretty interested to find out what happens to these characters in the next book. Now I just have to wait patiently with everyone else.

Make no mistake I loved A Torch Against the Night but I also raged pretty hard at some parts of the book. I love a story that can get me that involved that I’m angry and yelling at the characters. This installment had a great pace and I even had to set it down after reading the first thirty pages because I felt stressed out.

Okay I have to tell you my frustrations come in the form of Laia. I have to say in Ember I was kind of torn about her. I really liked how her character developed and felt more connected to her towards the end. In A Torch Against the Night I want to slap her multiple times. As my love for Elias grew my aggravation with Laia did too. Her actions seem to cause a lot of other people having to make sacrifices but she herself was not making any. I mean in reality what does Laia have to lose besides her life at this point. Her main goal is to save her brother which in theory is a noble cause but she seems more driven by guilt. Ugh just some of things she does...ugh.

Elias oh Elias. He was the light of my life in this book. Everything he was doing just made me like him more. I was also heartbroken over the some of the the things he has to go through. It’s hard to really say much about Elias without giving anything away but I can tell you...oh I just want him to come out on top of this whole deal. Rule the world or something.

Helene is another character that I’ve been torn about it. I like her, I don’t like her, I’m like seriously what are you doing. I have to say though her commitment to her duty is admirable and her love for her family is strong. She is one of those characters that are hard to pinpoint your feelings on until the end.

I really liked Harper. What an interesting addition and I like he takes on more of a front and center role. He’s definitely someone who intrigues me and adds to the story.

The other side characters are great and all have their roles to play.

I loved everything about this plot and the way this book gave me the feels. Not necessarily good feels all the time but that’s okay because I was completely absorbed. Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.

Wow two more books hugh. I have to say the plot is pretty amazing so far and I can’t wait to see where it’s going. I’ve got my theories and I’m interested to see how it all fits together. For me this was a really great read. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next book. How..how!

SPOILERS!!

Okay. So, of course I loved this because Sabaa Tahir's Ember world is amazing and wonderful and one I love losing myself in. HOWEVER, I have very different thoughts and feelings about the overall Torch story than I did with Ember.

Thoughts and comparisons- Ember was so thoroughly detailed and plotted with not one event or plot twist feeling out of place or random. I've read it 8 times and everything fits completely, leaving me totally satisfied and content to speculate what would happen in book two.

Now with Torch, I was expecting from the get go to feel differently about it because it's a second book in a series and second books always push characters and plot to their limits in ways that frustrate readers expectations. And yet, that risk taking usually makes the overall series better. With that in mind, Torch definitely took risks that were exciting and left me excited for book three. But a lot happened that I just couldn't seem to suspend my disbelief or thoroughly buy into.

For example, Avitas. Is he Elias' half brother? Keris' son as well? I'm assuming not since Gens Veturia doesn't know about Avitas yet. But if that's the case why not tell the reader? Finding out that Elias has a brother is a plot twist enough. But to not give just a little more explanation about the circumstances feels a little manipulative and out of the blue.

Also, Laia and Keenan's relationship/intimacy. I didn't buy it. It was unbelievable. There isn't enough evidence from either the first book or the second that Laia loves Keenan. Nor is there any evidence that Laia has had prior sexual experience. I'm not talking about her kisses with Elias or Keenan. I'm talking about sex. And from the evidence given in Ember, I assumed that Laia was inexperienced. So for her to give herself to Keenan so nonchalantly felt trite and disingenuous. I didn't believe it. On that note, if being with Keenan was her first sex experience than it seems like it would have impacted her more than it did. For me the way Laia's and Keenan's relationship was handled was rushed and unbelievable. Granted, there was so much going on in this story that I understood why the romantic elements weren't the main focus. But by not developing them more, Torch lost some of the magic and feels that Ember had.

Overall I loved the story. And I'm excited to see what happens with the plot twists concerning The Waiting Place, Cook, the Nightbringer/Keenan, etc. I was able to buy into those and love the possibilities. I'm also totally excited to get to know Darin. I have hopes and expectations for him and Helene. So much could happen and the not knowing is so exciting.

I'm also excited to see what will happen with Laia and Elias. Their relationship is not developed yet and it needs to be so much deeper and fleshed out.

Sabaa Tahir is an amazing story teller. I hope my questions and doubts are addressed in the next two books and that details and events slow down so that every little thing fits the way it did in Ember.

“Power isn’t control at all — power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own.”

----Beth Revis

Sabaa Tahir, an American bestselling author, pens the much awaited sequel to her bewitching YA fantasy book, An Ember in the Ashes called, A Torch Against the Night where the author continues to weave the adrenaline rushing and edgy adventure of Laia and Elias, who have finally managed to escape the Blackcliff Military Academy as well as the wrath of the ruthless Commandant and an equally sadistic Emperor and are on a run and on a mission to break free Laia's brother from one of the most dangerous prison of their land.

Synopsis:

Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire's most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene - Elias's former friend and the Empire's newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape... and kill them both.

After escaping the Blackcliff Military Academy, Laia knows only one thing- no matter what she needs to break her poor brother, who is the key to the Scholar's long lost fight and war against the Martials, free from Kauf, a dangerous prison cell of her land, which is well known for its inhuman tortures on the prisoners. But Laia can't do it alone, she needs help. Elias has finally managed to break free from the curse of killing and torturing innocent human lives by not choosing or rather say failing to become the Emperor to the throne, and now that he has failed, the new sadistic Emperor Marcus is only interested in one thing- to execute Elias and Laia publicly, but he knows, he has the perfect help to do it for him. Helene, Elias' former best friend, ex-competitor from the Trials, former classmate and the current Blood Shrike, who will have to do anything for the Emperor, but killing Elias and Laia is the most difficult task for her, and when the Emperor holds her dear parents and her sisters' lives at the cost of those two traitors, Helene knows it in her heart, where her loyalty lies.

Yet once again the author doesn't disappoints with a story so enthralling that the readers will be forced to remain glued to the pages of this book amidst the tears in their eyes, the goosebumps on their skin, the bone-chilling fear in their hearts, the raging fire boiling deep in their souls and the longing for the two most sympathetic YA characters to become one soul. Yet once again Emberlings will find happiness and satisfaction through this tale. And yet once again, readers will exclaim, "Skies, what a story!"

The author's writing style is eloquent and emphatic and the readers will find it no trouble at all to comprehend with the author's story telling style. The narrative is highly absorbing and holds the power to suck the readers right into its flow. Told from the perspectives of the three main protagonists, the dialogues flow deep into the very soul of these three characters, that the readers will find it easy to contemplate with their feelings and thoughts. The pacing of the book is really fast as there is so much adrenaline rushing actions that won't let the readers to look away from the story. This time, too, the author unravels the story through multiple layers and unpredictable twists that will only keep the readers anticipating for the next unnerving event to occur that will finally left them shocked to the very core.

The fantasy world that the author created here is really well constructed, proper with sound logic and sense to make the readers believe in such a mystical universe's struggles and problems where one group of people (Martial) wants to eradicate the entire race of Scholar because they are aware and have insecure with the fact that there is someone among the Scholar who holds the knowledge of the key secret of their steel-craft and other such power. The readers will lose themselves in such an entrancing and striking universe, that has been inspired from the ancient Rome with an Arabic flair.

Yet once again, the characters, from this book, shine like diamonds in the rough, meaning they are extremely well developed, as the author, here, explores the deepest parts of their soul where their evil spirits and the good spirits fight against one another to keep them sane. The main character, Laia, founders from her old charm as her portrayal is not that powerful or striking enough to make the readers root for her. Laia makes a ton of mistakes, at times, the readers will feel enraged towards her actions, but then again, her flaws make her look strong among the rest of the characters. Laia doesn't evolve much in this book, she is like the same old person from the book who has lost her vigor a bit from the previous book. Elias, on the other hand, is a psychologically flawed human being, whose genuine and understanding demeanor will make the readers feel for such a lost soul who harbors some of the darkest secrets that will make the readers cry a river for him. Elias evolves a lot and bravely faces through all those twisted challenges and stands tall against the complicated nature of his own mother and his former best friend. Helene, here, is the star of the book, whose battles are extremely unpleasant yet painful enough to keep the readers rooting for her till the very end. Once again the love triangle might bore the readers and honestly, I feel like romance has very little to do in a story like this.

In a nutshell, this is an one-of-a-kind page turner that will keep the readers on their edges till the turn of the very last page that ends off with a huge bang and that will make the readers wishing desperately for the next story to appear magically. And yes this is one such magical yet alluring story that will give the readers a book hangover.

Torch Against the Night is the second book following An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and I was very much looking forward to reading it. My review on the first book you can find here. I have a love/meh relationship with this series that isn't so much complex as it is frustrating. The characters are very much alive in this book and very rarely do I find myself becoming irritated by any of them (except for one, which we will get to).

Elias and Helene are some of the best-written characters I've come across in this genre, with an emphasis on Helene. In the first book, the only two POVs were of Laia and Elias, and I was missing Helene's point of view so much that it was hard to digest. In this book, I found myself wanting to skip right to her parts. Elias' struggles kept me interested, especially with the twist.

My only caveat from this entire series is Laia. She's not nearly as irritating as some other characters that I've come across, but she is hard to like. When I say that, I don't mean "hard to admire" or "hard to understand". The Commandant in this series is a wretched woman and I genuinely love reading her parts. Laia is selfish, idiotic, and demanding, and then is attempted to be written off as kind, generous, brave, and determined. I don't mind facets in characters, but I can't get behind a character that I don't believe in. Her entire parts could be effectively cut out and the book wouldn't suffer, it would thrive. Helene and Elias pulled at my heart and my mind, Laia made me stop reading for the night and decide that it was time to catch some sleep.

I won't chronicle the book because I'm sure that's already been done, but I will say that the story is driven and there are some seriously well-written parts in this book. I'll definitely keep up with the story, but here's hoping that Laia grows up a little and realizes the entire world and the lives included in it do not revolve around her wants and needs.

Laia finally knows where her brother Darin is. He's imprisoned in Kauf, which is the most secure prison in the empire. It's a place where prisoners are being tortured and a lot of them don't survive this ordeal. Laia knows she has to free her brother as soon as possible, because every day his chances of survival are becoming slimmer. Elias offers to accompany Laia on her dangerous and difficult journey and she gladly accepts his offer.

Elias has to leave his best friend Helene behind, but not for long. She's now the new Emperor's Blood Shrike and has been ordered to hunt him down and kill him. The Commandant also has plans with her son. Elias is constantly being chased. While fighting off opponents Elias and Laia also run into people who are fighting with them. Keenan is Laia's contact of the resistance and he's also coming with her to Kauf. While feelings are becoming very complicated there are battles that have to be fought and there's a prison that has to be broken into. Will they succeed or has their journey been in vain?

A Torch Against the Night is a fantastic story filled with brilliant tricks, magic, fascinating battles and difficult relationships. Sabaa Tahir has written a great sequel and I enjoyed this book just as much as An Ember in the Ashes. I especially loved the fighting scenes. Sabaa Tahir knows how to describe movements and she makes her characters come to life extremely well. Her vivid imagination is amazing and I liked reading about the phenomenal world she's created. It's dark, it's grim and it's filled with possibilities, which makes it really interesting. Sabaa Tahir writes with an extreme passion that I like a lot.

Elias and Laia have been through a lot already and there's much more to come. They never give up and they keep fighting for what they believe in. Nothing ever goes as planned, enemies are always close and it's difficult to stay one step ahead. I loved the power games and the nerve-wracking suspense. The characters are all intriguing and they have multilayered personalities. This book has three voices, Laia, Elias and Helene. I enjoyed reading the story from different points of view and was again captivated by Sabaa Tahir's beautiful writing. She plays with chaos and always remains in control, which is something I liked a lot. I think the An Ember in the Ashes series is spectacular and I highly recommend these mind-blowing books.

This has been on my list of long-awaited releases and I admit that I getting a little rabid in the days nearing its release. If you couldn’t tell from my rating report, I absolutely loved this book. Oh my gosh, I have so much to say about it with not enough time or words to completely cover everything I feel or think about this book. I will try my utmost best to keep it a decent length and talk about all that I want to talk about.

If you were able to read the first chapter that I believe Entertainment (correct me if I’m wrong?) released a few months back then you will know the story literally pick up from where An Ember in the Ashes leaves off. Elias and Laia are in the midst of their escape from Blackcliff with the promise of finding Laia’s brother at Kauf. There was a lot I was expecting to happen throughout A Torch Against the Night, and so much that happened that I couldn’t have imagined.

Of course, if you are an Emberling like I am, then I am sure that you were excited for the idea of an Elias/Laia epic journey to get to Kauf with some toe-curling, sinfully heart-twisting touching and kissing involved. I knew I couldn’t expect too much since Tahir announced that she finally got her four-book deal for her series, so it wasn’t going to be easy for me as a shipper. I was gonna have to suffer, but I hope as Ron Weasley puts it – I’m gonna be happy about it. And I was very satisfied with the development of their friendship and relationship. They certainly shared some emotional moments that made me shriek well into the early morning of the next day. You get some frustrating moments and some moments that you just clench your fingers into your fist and bite down on your knuckles because you want to squeal and scream and weep and make noises that are unhuman.

I felt as though Elias really grew into his own and become the main character of the book. He goes through so so so much and his character is so much better for it. Even in the wake of this book’s conclusion, I can think back on him specifically and recall all the things that have happened to him and developed him into the man he becomes by the end of the book. Much of it is surprising and unexpected, but when I sat back and thought about it – I realized that there is no other path for Elias. What he becomes is what he was meant to do and Tahir does a phenomenal job of introducing me as the reader to what he has the potential to become and ultimately be. Any other fate that could have been designed for him would not have been has poignant and fantastic as the one she carves out. And as I write this paragraph, I am made breathless at how amazing Elias is. He is my favorite character in this series for a reason and Tahir gives me ten hundred more reasons to rank him as such.

I cannot speak of Elias without speaking of all the other characters, especially Laia who finds the light in all things dark – the hope in all things hopeless. She sees the light in Elias that fortifies his characterization, but Laia rises as her own heroine.I admire her so for her determination to rescue her brother, to stop the culling of millions of Scholars, and to connect with her past that has so rightly stayed lurking in her thoughts. She is tenacious in her pursuits and her strength is so easy to read and admire. Yes, she makes costly mistakes, especially at a turning point in the story, but yet, those mistakes show what she is willing to sacrifice to give to another – to show her unrestrained love and devotion to the things and people she is not willing to lose. She is a heroine in her own caliber that deserves to be recognized among so many heroines that are saturating the YA market right now – she has everything a role model should be.

As always, members of the empire give me the creeps. I fear the Commandant and Marcus as much as I hate them – with the hot furious passions of a thousand burning suns. So I’d like to say that is a feat in it of itself. I saw a photo that Tahir released of one of those shirts that list the characters connected with the ‘&’ symbol and at the end, it said Marcus&Keris and I was squinting my eyes at it in scrutiny because 1) Tahir would totally NOT do that and 2) SAY WHAT. So I was expecting some twisted relationship of corruption and darkness to unraveled. I am relieved to say that is not the case. However, I was taken aback by the fury and evil that was present in the Commandant. I have some hope for Marcus that I hope ends in a redemption arc. But I have no shred of humanity to spare to the Commandant and her ruthlessness. She is as vicious as she was in the first book, if not more so now if she were more present in this book. This book includes a lot of perspectives and is a traveling novel of sorts – so I didn’t spend as much time with some of the characters as much as I did with An Ember in the Ashes.

Okay, I admit that it’s getting hard to keep this review short. But I just have to get everything out on this review. So please bear with me – this is actually one of my more coherent and fleshed out reviews.

I feel so much more for Helene than I did in An Ember in the Ashes. I imagine that it’s because I understood her fate going into A Torch Against the Night that paired with everything she experiences in this book makes my heart go out to her. (I do admit I have some prejudice against her because she is a threat to my OTP, so you should know all the facts of my bias). She goes through a lot of crap. A lot. So much that she must bear as the Blood Shrike and as Helene Aquilla. It’s devastating to read and experience especially because she has her own perspective in this series now. And what a is so unfortunate is that she has to do it a lot. Sure, she has her fellow Masks, but they are nothing to the friendship that she secured with Elias before this mess started. She has to stand on her own two feet and struggle to do so. Her rise to the character she becomes at the end of the story is hard to endure, but impossible to move forward without. As several of the characters point out, Helene is unmade and broken and made again.

Needless to say, there is a new conflict that arises here that I imagine will carry out the rest of the series to its conclusion. It is a HUGE twist in the story and brings about more of the folklore/supernatural side of the series that I so much very wanted to be explored. The characters who are more so directly exposed to such events are Elias and Laia and I believe so rightfully so. I can’t wait to read more about this part of the story and oh my goodness, it will be a tortuous wait until the third book.

I am all over the place but I want to address how moved I was about the themes of family in this book and how family plays and enormous role in how these characters move forward and how they evolve from the characters they were in book one. I don’t know why this affected me so much - but I do get a peek into all of their familial relationships. I feel as though this is the main reason I began to like Helene’s character so much more. She’s in the ultimate fight between keeping her oldest friend (and love) alive or sacrificing him for the loyalty to the empire and the mortality of her family.

I was so so excited to get a look into Elias’s past with his adoptive family in Nur. We get that! And I am so happy because this is what made me love him more - being able to read his character with a family that isn’t the Commandant. But there are more facets to his familial relationships that come to light and it makes me hurt so much for him.

Side note: I wish I could talk about Keenan because I have much to say about him, but what I want to say is super spoiler-y so I will leave that to you readers to find out the mystery that is him.

This paragraph may get a little squirrel-y for me and I may become incoherent but I can’t leave this review without addressing the last chapter and how much it made me feel. I read it twice because it was just that good and splendid and if the series had ended here, I would have been so freaking satisfied. I mean, there is a lot of unfinished business as I’m sure Tahir wanted everything to be left open to her third and fourth books so I understand the intention there – BUT THOSE LAST FEW PAGES. I could use all the happiness that I feel for those pages to keep me young for the next 200 years. And that’s a minimum. The glow of it will soon fade because it will have worked its way into my heart and become a permanent resident of my heart, but I imagine that once book three is out, it will glow and beat so hard that it will burst because there’s already so much feels for An Ember in the Ashes and A Torch Against the Night.

In case you really wish to know about how it ends (not too much of a spoiler, but for those who are scared to finish because of some awful torment of a cliffhanger)…..THERE IS NO ENORMOUS CLIFFHANGER WHICH GIVES ME LIFE.

Though this gives Sabaa Tahir so much more power in giving near-death cliffhangers in the future. Now that she knows there is a book three and four, the ending of book three will be vicious and cause me to have visceral reactions.

Ahh yes I am so glad and happy that I check this book out from the library, because I had to find out what happen next after the An Ember In The Ashes cliffhanger ending. And ohh my a lot happens in this book that I just can't explain without spoiling anybody. That just say a lot happens that goes down well I think at less a lot of good and bad stuff goes down in A Torch Against The Night which I thoroughly loved and enjoyed reading ever moment of it. It kept me on my toes throughout the whole book and there were also some twist and turns that I so did not see coming that had me surprise. I so love when an author can surprise me with the twist in there books that I so didn't see coming, and there were some twist in this book that left me super surprise. Just Ugh I wish I can tell you but no I won't give you any details about the A Torch Against The Night, because you have to experience this book and see what you think about it. I was fangirling while reading through the whole book because I so ship Elias and Laia together because to me there are just meant to be together. Now we do get three different pov's in this amazing book as like the Ember in the Ashes we get Elias and Laia pov's, but we also get Helene pov's. Which I don't know how I felt about reading her pov at first, because I really don't like Helene. But I tell you the truth I really did enjoy reading Helene pov's because we get more in depth and learn a lot more about Helene. I still don't like Helene but I just felt just terrible for her on what she was going through as blood shrike and under control of the crazy empire Marcus. Now I am going to leave it off here because I don't want to spoil anything, but all and all I just loved and enjoyed everything in A Torch Against The Night to me it was absolutely a fantastic book. But I do totally understand why some readers don't like this book so much and that absolutely alright I just loved and enjoyed it more. Now I can't wait for the third book A Reaper at the Gates to see what happens next after again a cliffhanger ending in A Torch Against The Night. A Reaper at the Gates will be one of my highly anticipating books that I can't wait for it to come out next year!

I want to preface this by saying while I enjoyed the first book in this series, I wasn't in love. And I must be the only person in the world that had such a strong dislike for Helene.

But things have changed.

While reading A Torch Against the Night, from page 1 I was grabbed into the story. I just could not put it down. Not only that, my feelings about my most hated character changed somewhat. Go Sabaa for making me truly love pretty much everything about this book!

We start off pretty much moments after the end of An Ember in the Ashes, with Laia and Elias running for their lives. Of course, nothing goes right while they flee, and things just begin to look grimmer and grimmer.

Laia ends up doing even more than we could have expected to get her and Elias to safety. I mean, she's with a Mask, right? You'd think he'd be the one to do everything, because Mask. But she truly shines. We learn some interesting little background things about everyone, and some really cool new characters are introduced. I can't wait to ship them!

There are twists and surprises around every turn. Okay, was I actually surprised? No. I had weirdly guessed half the twists in this book before they happened. But trust me, I am not sure how I guessed so many of them. And even when the things I was expecting to happen did in fact happen, I was raging and whatnot about how crazy that twist was. Because while I may have had that theory, I didn't really expect it to go in that direction. Or at least I'd hoped it didn't for the characters' sakes.

It's a rare book that gets you screaming and jumping for joy and hoping for more. I, for one, cannot wait for the next book.

Reasons to read this book
1) Because ships!
2) Magic!
3) You liked the first book and were curious about the second
4) I need to say it again. Ships!
5) Death lore
6) Betrayals and unexpected twists!

Reasons not to read this book
1) You didn't like the first book
2) That whole love square really got your goat and you don't think you could go through another book with everyone so confused

Overall
While I liked the first book, I truly loved this one. And I am so anxious now for the next book. Even if you were on the fence about the first one, I would suggest continuing on with the series.

First of all, let me start off by saying how much I looked forward to this sequel. For over a year, ever since I read the last word of An Ember in the Ashes, I have been painstakingly waiting for the sequel to come out so I can finally gain closure. I ADORED An Ember in the Ashes and made sure to re-read it again before the release of the sequel so I could eagerly dive in where I left off. Wow...words cannot even begin to describe how let down and disappointed I am. For as much as I fell in love with the first book, this second one managed to reach back and completely obliterate all of my adoration for this story.

What pains me the most is that book one held so much promise of a delicately budding, pure, and passionate love amidst all of the ugliness of the Empire. It was a promise of hope that even in such a desolate and wasted backdrop, something beautiful could flourish. The ending practically screamed at the reader to just hold on--that the two young people in love were so close to being able to bring their dreams into fruition!

...At that, I'm not even going to say anything else because it's all just going to be spoilers from here on out. Suffice it for me to reiterate that this was one of the biggest disappointments in non-closure and book-reading history that I've experienced in a long while.

A Torch Against the Night exceeded my acceptation. I am always nervous when it comes to second book because let’s face it sometimes it’s hard to follow-up a popular debut book. Sabaa Tahir battled against all of those second book stereotypes and came out as victories as a Mask. This book will forever have my tear stains imprinted into the pages. Okay now I am going to try to put on my mask face and get my emotions under control so I can do this review.

A Torch Against the Night picks up where we were left hanging in An Ember of Ashes. After saving Elias from death Laia and Elias are running for their life in a dangerous quest to save her brother from the most famous prison Kauf. The mission and journey there as all things never goes as planned.

“Don’t look so worried. Most successful missions are just a series of barely averted disasters.” – Elias

The plot of this book finally gave us some answers to the questions that have plague us all since book 1. One question in particular that is touch upon is about the Nightbringer. We finally got to learn a little about the history about the King of the Jinn and what he really wants. There is still so many question I have running through my head but at least we got some answers.

Laia has become a force to reckon with in this book. Dear god her character is the definition of character development. The fact that it was a slow growth and that I see how each event in the story changes made me connect with her more than I did in book 1.

She faces so many challenges that test everything that she is and it’s beginning to mold her into the person she was always meant to be. She takes a lot of hits in this book and has to make some tough calls that aren’t always the right call. She must find a way to deal with the consequences of her choices.

“Your emotions make you human,” Elias says. “Even the unpleasant ones have a purpose. Don’t lock them away. If you ignore them, they just get louder and angrier.”

What I love most about Laia is that when she makes a bad mistake she learns from it then lifts her chin and tries again.

“It takes only a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.”

Elias was everything I need in this book! Apparently freedom from Blackcliff has done wonders for his personality. I never realized he had such a dry sense of humor and I loved every moment of it.

“I should just build a bleeding house here,” I mutter as I pick myself up off the snow-covered ground. “Maybe get a few chickens. Plant a garden.” – Elias

Elias is at a consent battle with the memories of the horrible things that Blackcliff has done to him and made him do in the name of the Empire. During the journey he is struggling not only to find out who is without the mask but trying to make amends for all the blood that has stained his hand after the trails in book 1.

“Don’t you see? As long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.” -to Elias

The relationship and partnership between Laia and Elias was wonderful. They are the complete opposite but they seem to make each other better people. They each bring out the best qualities of each other. Plus, I will go down with this beautiful ship!

“You are my temple,” I murmur as I kneel beside her. “You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release.” – Elias

Helena was a character that got on my nerves a little in book one but I have to say in this book I fell in love with her. I dare say I enjoyed her point of view more than I did the Elias and Laia’s. Helena is the Blood Shrike to the new slightly completely crazy Emperor Marcus. She is struggling with her loyalty to the Empire and her friend who is now a traitor.

“Veturius is a Mask like the rest of us, yes. Bold, brave, strong, swift. But those were afterthoughts for him. Elias sees people as they should be, not as they are. He laughs at himself. He gives of himself – in everything he does. […] He’s the things that I can’t be. He’s good.” -Helena

Helena has some major growth in this book and is face with some hard choices. Helena realizes that sometimes the easy choice isn’t always the right choice, and some times it takes more than blood and sweat to save an Empire from crumbling.

“But you, Helene Aquilla, are no swift-burning spark. You are a torch against the night – if you dare to let yourself burn.”

Overall this book was a wonderful, thrilling, and breath-taking addition to the brilliance of An Ember of the Ashes. I am so excited to read A Reaper at the Gates that comes out in June and see where this story will lead to next. If you haven’t read this book I highly recommend it!

“Failure doesn't define you. It's what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.”

So often, the second book of a series is the most boring, or the most uncomfortable. It's the bridge between the excitement at the beginning and the end. I'm happy to say that this is not the case with A Torch Against the Night. It had some second-book elements, but it was done in a way that didn't make them feel tedious or painful. Instead, it's engaging, answers small questions while raising bigger ones, and draws you in so that you can't escape no matter what you do.

I hadn't intended to read this during my 25 in 5 readathon, but as soon as I finished An Ember in the Ashes, I needed this book and downloaded it immediately.

“So long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.”

*Spoilers for book 1 in the following plot description*

To readers' delight, this book picks up right where the last one left off: Elias and Laia are running through the tunnels under Blackcliff, trying to escape with their lives. They have to get to the prison where Laia's brother is being held so that they can save him.

They eventually get on their way, but not without significant...complications. They are soon joined by other friendly faces, and the long, arduous trek ensues.

Meanwhile, Helene has no choice but to hunt them. I loved that her POV was added into the rotation. She faces an entirely different sort of battle, trying to do right by her duty and also her heart and family. We also meet a new character, Avitas Harper, who is anything but flat.

“It takes only a split second for life to go horribly wrong. To fix the mess, I need a thousand things to go right. The distance from one bit of luck to the next feels as great as the distance across oceans. But, I decide in this moment, I will bridge that distance, again and again, until I win. I will not fail.”

I truly couldn't put this book down. Besides the movement of the plot, which was fast-paced and enthralling, the development of the characters was fantastic. Helene is a masterpiece.

I downloaded book 3 as soon as I finished this one.

***More reviews on Off to Amazing Places Blog .wordpress .com***

SPOILER REVIEW

Hi, it’s Aashna! Today I am going to be reviewing A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir. Like I mentioned in my review for An Ember in the Ashes, I have been rereading this series in preparation for A Reaper at the Gates. While my experience rereading the first book was overwhelmingly positive, making me like the book more than I did the first time I read it, that was not the case here. Tahir still wrote a compelling, generally good book. It just didn’t capture that full sense of wonder and emotion as the first book. Everything scratched the surface when it could have gone deeper and most of my excitement or sorrow came from what the first book had set up, not what the second book had developed. I want to stress that I had a fantastic time reading this book. I flew through the whole thing in about two days and cannot wait the start the third. The book reviewer commitment I have is what is causing me to scrutinize an otherwise strong book, so closely. I will be drawing comparisons to the first book, since that’s the only real standard I have to hold this book to, so bear with me.

The plot of this book felt less sharp than I expected. Unlike the first book, this book was focused on maybe two big events that felt small in the grand scheme of things. Elias, Laia, and Helene were thinking big in the first book, which makes it more shocking that all of them began focusing less on big picture and more on the immediate. Elias and Laia were focused on escaping the Empire in the first book and now they spend the entire book trying to save one man without discussing their greater plans. Helene was focused on helping the Empire grow and now she spends the whole book grappling with her feelings for Elias.The incorporation of a revolution at Kauf Prison also made this whole thing feel muddled. You read a whole book where three characters are dead set on certain specific things and then they risk all of that to help with revolutions. It’s classically cliche for the YA genre to incorporate a revolution where it doesn’t belong.

There were relatively large time jumps between key moments of the journey to Kauf. I know it would be boring to show the entirety of a months-long journey, but I missed out on the connections and developments that happened along the way. Tahir only showed the big, exciting events, leaving out a balance of quieter ones that would have shaped the choices characters make later on. The best example of why the time jumps didn’t work is Izzi. One minute she’s terrified to even speak to the tribal people, the next she’s sacrificing her life for one of them. Where were her conversations with Laia about her feelings? About why she chose to come back? About her thoughts on Keenan and Elias?

The chapter endings were not as clever or nearly as suspenseful as last time. There was no pattern of give and take with the information that connected the perspectives. I think it must be because Helene’s perspective was added in, not that I’m complaining. The chapter endings were abnormally good in the first book and here they are average, which isn’t a problem in an otherwise great book.

Before I break down our three main characters in depth, I want to take a second to discuss how Tahir approached writing them, in general. The first book made me feel like I was experiencing things with the characters and in this one, I felt quite out of the loop. I was witness to what was happening to the characters, not living and learning with them. I can’t say whether this distance was created on purpose. I will say that this could make or break the next book, depending on whether the issue is resolved or not.

Laia became frustratingly weak in this book, which was incredibly frustrating. Regardless of how it was due to circumstance, it’s painful to watch someone so strong become so reliant on others to make decisions and validate her self-worth. This is not an issue with the writing, I know it was all on purpose and to build Laia up stronger in the next book, it was more an issue from a reader’s perspective. Even in Laia’s strongest moments, she sounded somewhat whiny. Her everlasting determination was the only tangible thing that made reading from her point of view bearable.

Elias was lovely, as always. His character development was slow, realistic, and suited to the plot. I appreciate how Tahir let the reader get to know Elias better through more subtle means than dumping exposition.

Helene is surprisingly, my new favorite character! I always thought she was cool, I mean, how could you not? This book just opened my eyes up to so much more about her than her fighting skills and unwavering loyalty. Her character had some sharp developments at the end, which I expect will be fully explained in the next book, so there’s no need to worry.

The love triangle between Elias, Laia, and Keenan was never that exciting. Of course, this is a YA novel, so it can be understood the readers live for the drama. Love them or hate them (I lean towards the latter), love triangles and a cliche boost that some stories need. In the first book, the tension worked. In my mind, Elias and Keenan had about equal chances. In the second book, that tension didn’t exist anymore. Elias and Keenan were never in direct competition with each other. Laia had her separate romances with the each of them in separate moments without overlap of feelings, ruining the main sentiment of a love triangle.

Let’s talk about the major plot twists. The Nightbringer one was surprising. I vaguely remembered something about the Nightbringer being Keenan from the first time I read this book, however I didn’t remember the details about why, how, and for how long. I felt personally impacted by his betrayal, which is not an easy thing for an author to do. It shows that Tahir created a genuine connection between the reader and her fictional characters. If I had to scrutinize the reveal, I would only say that I wish Laia reacted more. Everything was flying by so fast at that point that I didn’t get to see her properly mourn and talk about her loss. I expect this will be coming in the next book, so I’m not that worried. Elias’ decision to become the Soul Catcher was pretty obvious. Nevertheless, it was the perfect way to develop Elias’ character and I like how Tahir wasn’t afraid to bring him so close to death. Yes, there was a loophole (as there often is in YA), yet it made sense as wasn’t that much better than death, itself.

The ending was the definition of mic-drop. Tahir gave me everything I could have wanted in those last two pages and ended it with the perfect 2 lines. They wrapped up the story and left me pumped to pick up the next book. I practically ran to pull A Reaper at the Gates off my shelf.

I know my review sounds overly negative, although I didn’t mean for it to come off that way. I LOVE this book enough to give it 4 stars, and more importantly, I LOVE this series. A Torch Against the Night had it’s problems, but that doesn’t take away from the happiness I felt while reading it. My issues were nit-picky, not fundamental to my enjoyment of the story, which is far more important.

(Review taken from bookish blog Literary Weaponry)

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Mostly the “oh my!” part. If anyone read my review of An Ember in the Ashes, the first book of this series, you will know that I fell head over heels in love with this story and these characters. The moment I finished the first book I was already snagging this, its second installment, and diving in. If that isn’t the sign of a great story I don’t know what is. I read more than half of this book in one sitting and at 452 pages that isn’t chump change. Lets dive in!

What I Liked

-Laia’s character development is so well done. In the first book she was so terrified. Determined, but terrified. It ruled her and she was ashamed of it. In this book it was like she put her foot down and found this boundless strength inside that allowed her to control her fear and use it to accomplish her goals. She went from a frightened child to a magnificent heroine. Does she have a few missteps along the way? Sure, but that is part of her story, part of how she grows as a person. Laia is amazing.

-The pacing in this book was spot on. There was action, adventure, perilous peril, nail biting sequences, and gasps galore! At no point did I think, “Well, this story is in a bit of a lull so I’ll take a reading break.” No sir. I did not want to put it down. You get more depth into the characters and their struggles and successes to the point where you just can’t get enough of them.

-I mentioned this with the first book but it is so important I feel like it needs brought up again. There is absolutely no fat on this book. Every scene, every moment has a purpose. We have all read a book in a series that felt like filler (half of the Throne of Glass series for example) and that half of the scenes could have been cut. Tahir delivers. Every page has a purpose and you don’t want to miss a moment of it!

What I Didn’t Like

-I still love Helene, I really do, but I wasn’t entirely on board with her in this book. I won’t dive into it too much, because spoilers, but she felt lost. Confused. In truth, she was, and that was part of her purpose in this story but I’m hoping that in the third book she gets some justice. She deserves it. Helene has to make some incredibly difficult decisions in this story and my heart just aches for her.

Yup, that is all I didn’t like. I told you that I loved this book. Tahir’s writing is engaging and flows well, the story itself is engrossing, and the emotional response the story pulls from you is palpable. If you want a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat then I cannot recommend these books enough. I will leave you with one parting quip, I told you Keenan was trouble.

“So long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.”

Ohhhhhhh man. THIS book. It took me months to finish this. MONTHS. After falling deeply in love with An Ember in the Ashes, I immediately started on the second one, hungry for more Elias and Laia. Once I got through the first several chapters, however, I thought I knew exactly where this book was headed and I was not of fan. Some hardcore procrastination happened in a flimsy effort to prolong my time with my two favorite characters.

All I can say is, BOY WAS I WRONG. That’s what I get for thinking I know everything. By the time I reached the last page, I was kicking myself for putting this off for as long as I did. I will never doubt Sabaa Tahir again.

THE REHASH
When we last saw Elias and Laia, they were running for their lives away from Blackcliff Academy (and the Commandant. Ugh) and this book picks up right where we left off. Laia desperately needs help finding and breaking in to Kauf prison where her brother is being kept, and Elias readily agrees to team up. After spending his life around so much death and oppression, it’s his way of giving back and helping a greater good. Things are going swimmingly—at least, for two fugitives on the run—when the Commandant happens and throws a giant hitch in their plans. I know, it’s totally unlike her… *she said with bitter sarcasm*

Meanwhile, the two creeper twins Marcus and the Commandant are busy slaughtering innocent people and generally ruining everyone’s lives. Poor Helene is trapped as the new Blood Shrike and doing whatever Marcus tells her to—a horrifying thought. After the humiliating destruction Elias and Laia caused in their departure, Marcus and the Commandant are eager for blood and send Helene to apprehend her best friend and boy crush Elias. Because after all, if anyone could find him it’s her. With a heavy heart, Helene scours the countryside looking for Elias and gets hot on his trail.

Laia and Elias face setback after setback after setback and begin to doubt if they’ll ever make it to Kauf. They don’t even know if Laia’s brother will be alive by the time they reach it. But with the help of some new (and old) friends, the two FINALLY make it to Kauf prison.

And so does Helene… Dun dun DUNNNNNN!!!

THE GOOD
Both the beginning and ending of this book DEFINITELY kept me on my toes. So much happens in such a short period of time! At least it felt that way. Read one page and you’ve already gone through two fight scenes and an angsty almost-kiss. But what really kept me going were the great characters. I LOVE LAIA AND ELIAS SO MUCH!! Laia somehow manages to be both strong and vulnerable in the best way and there’s a humility about her that gives me all the feels. And Elias has had some serious bad luck, but uses his remorse as a motivator to be a better person. He has such a big heart and I’m so glad I can count him among my fictional husbands. Plus, the new characters we see in this book are great! Afya Ara-Nur IS MY GIRL and I love her sassy honesty.

It’s also worth mentioning again how awesome this universe is. I really love the strong roman vibes I get from this book because it feels so different from anything I’ve read. Every time Tahir describes the landscape and I get to compare it to the map, it gives me a little thrill.

Plus, there’s a WHOPPER of a twist at the end that I did not see coming at all. I had a few suspicions on what was going to happen, which is how I ended up reading this book for FOUR months, but I was definitely not even close.

THE UGLY
Okay, I admit it. Helene bothered me a little this time around. She bothered me a tad in the first one when she'd go on rants about how amazing the Empire is or how scholars deserve to be treated terribly. But then Elias lead her on the ENTIRE book only to ditch her at the very end, so I felt for Helene—especially because she got stuck with the creeper Marcus. UGH. At the end of this second book, however, something happens that she acts completely shocked about that I didn't find surprising in the least. I won't give anything away, but dang did it frustrate me at the end!!!

And I will say that I got a tad bored in the middle. Maybe bored is the wrong word because there was always something happening, but it definitely dragged on a little. I hated the parts with Laia and Ian together. I just wanted the story to GET ON WITH IT. That could be my frustration talking though because GRRR @ IAN’S ENTIRE CHARACTER.

FINAL WORD
Was this sequel as good at the first? No, I don’t think so, but it was still an amazing book and I highly recommend this series! Can’t wait to get my hands on A Reaper at the Gates!!!!

It took me a long time to listen to this one, not because it was bad by any means, just because I kept on forgetting that I had this one on audio!

This audio version was a little different than the first book since we get Helene's perspective on this one so there was a third narrator in the mix. I really liked the narrator for Helene and I think she was exactly what I thought this character would sound like. Although, I have to admit I'm not really a fan of this character. I get that it's needed to show how The Empire is terrible to even their own people, and we see how Helene trying to protect her friend really puts her in a bad position. At the same time, I just couldn't get over how nonchalant she is about having slaves and being okay with slavery being a thing in this society. I think we are supposed to be bothered by it, but it really made it hard for me to like this character. I think I'm in the minority here, because I know a lot of other readers really loved her storyline.

Laia and Elias both go on their own hero's journey both together and apart, and I really like the magic and mystic that is woven into their stories. There is more about that later in the book, and there are some big reveals, but I don't want to spoil anything. I find their relationship interesting and I always thought they were meant to be together, so imagine my surprise when Laia started hooking up with the Scholar Boy Keenan. I DID NOT trust that dude at all, and I was really suspicious about his motives the whole time.

There were some big twists in this novel that I definitely did not see coming, and it made for a really interesting read. I liked this one a lot, but there was just something that made it not worthy of a 5-star review. (I hoard those for books that I absolutely love). It was good, but I think maybe I needed something more out it, and I'm not exactly sure what that is.

I definitely am going to finish this series, and I'm pretty interested to find out what happens to these characters in the next book. Now I just have to wait patiently with everyone else.

Make no mistake I loved A Torch Against the Night but I also raged pretty hard at some parts of the book. I love a story that can get me that involved that I’m angry and yelling at the characters. This installment had a great pace and I even had to set it down after reading the first thirty pages because I felt stressed out.

Okay I have to tell you my frustrations come in the form of Laia. I have to say in Ember I was kind of torn about her. I really liked how her character developed and felt more connected to her towards the end. In A Torch Against the Night I want to slap her multiple times. As my love for Elias grew my aggravation with Laia did too. Her actions seem to cause a lot of other people having to make sacrifices but she herself was not making any. I mean in reality what does Laia have to lose besides her life at this point. Her main goal is to save her brother which in theory is a noble cause but she seems more driven by guilt. Ugh just some of things she does...ugh.

Elias oh Elias. He was the light of my life in this book. Everything he was doing just made me like him more. I was also heartbroken over the some of the the things he has to go through. It’s hard to really say much about Elias without giving anything away but I can tell you...oh I just want him to come out on top of this whole deal. Rule the world or something.

Helene is another character that I’ve been torn about it. I like her, I don’t like her, I’m like seriously what are you doing. I have to say though her commitment to her duty is admirable and her love for her family is strong. She is one of those characters that are hard to pinpoint your feelings on until the end.

I really liked Harper. What an interesting addition and I like he takes on more of a front and center role. He’s definitely someone who intrigues me and adds to the story.

The other side characters are great and all have their roles to play.

I loved everything about this plot and the way this book gave me the feels. Not necessarily good feels all the time but that’s okay because I was completely absorbed. Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.

Wow two more books hugh. I have to say the plot is pretty amazing so far and I can’t wait to see where it’s going. I’ve got my theories and I’m interested to see how it all fits together. For me this was a really great read. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the next book. How..how!

I like the first book but this second one seems lacking of a story or just a dumbing down for whatever reason. The writing is also more juvenile than the first one. Laia's character annoys me immensely in this second book. As the female lead, her actions and decisions are incredibly stupid. The love interest thing seems superficial and makes no sense to me. With all the urgency and tragedy, she finds time to entangle herself in a love triangle.

SPOILERS!!

Okay. So, of course I loved this because Sabaa Tahir's Ember world is amazing and wonderful and one I love losing myself in. HOWEVER, I have very different thoughts and feelings about the overall Torch story than I did with Ember.

Thoughts and comparisons- Ember was so thoroughly detailed and plotted with not one event or plot twist feeling out of place or random. I've read it 8 times and everything fits completely, leaving me totally satisfied and content to speculate what would happen in book two.

Now with Torch, I was expecting from the get go to feel differently about it because it's a second book in a series and second books always push characters and plot to their limits in ways that frustrate readers expectations. And yet, that risk taking usually makes the overall series better. With that in mind, Torch definitely took risks that were exciting and left me excited for book three. But a lot happened that I just couldn't seem to suspend my disbelief or thoroughly buy into.

For example, Avitas. Is he Elias' half brother? Keris' son as well? I'm assuming not since Gens Veturia doesn't know about Avitas yet. But if that's the case why not tell the reader? Finding out that Elias has a brother is a plot twist enough. But to not give just a little more explanation about the circumstances feels a little manipulative and out of the blue.

Also, Laia and Keenan's relationship/intimacy. I didn't buy it. It was unbelievable. There isn't enough evidence from either the first book or the second that Laia loves Keenan. Nor is there any evidence that Laia has had prior sexual experience. I'm not talking about her kisses with Elias or Keenan. I'm talking about sex. And from the evidence given in Ember, I assumed that Laia was inexperienced. So for her to give herself to Keenan so nonchalantly felt trite and disingenuous. I didn't believe it. On that note, if being with Keenan was her first sex experience than it seems like it would have impacted her more than it did. For me the way Laia's and Keenan's relationship was handled was rushed and unbelievable. Granted, there was so much going on in this story that I understood why the romantic elements weren't the main focus. But by not developing them more, Torch lost some of the magic and feels that Ember had.

Overall I loved the story. And I'm excited to see what happens with the plot twists concerning The Waiting Place, Cook, the Nightbringer/Keenan, etc. I was able to buy into those and love the possibilities. I'm also totally excited to get to know Darin. I have hopes and expectations for him and Helene. So much could happen and the not knowing is so exciting.

I'm also excited to see what will happen with Laia and Elias. Their relationship is not developed yet and it needs to be so much deeper and fleshed out.

Sabaa Tahir is an amazing story teller. I hope my questions and doubts are addressed in the next two books and that details and events slow down so that every little thing fits the way it did in Ember.

“Power isn’t control at all — power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own.”

----Beth Revis

Sabaa Tahir, an American bestselling author, pens the much awaited sequel to her bewitching YA fantasy book, An Ember in the Ashes called, A Torch Against the Night where the author continues to weave the adrenaline rushing and edgy adventure of Laia and Elias, who have finally managed to escape the Blackcliff Military Academy as well as the wrath of the ruthless Commandant and an equally sadistic Emperor and are on a run and on a mission to break free Laia's brother from one of the most dangerous prison of their land.

Synopsis:

Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire's most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene - Elias's former friend and the Empire's newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape... and kill them both.

After escaping the Blackcliff Military Academy, Laia knows only one thing- no matter what she needs to break her poor brother, who is the key to the Scholar's long lost fight and war against the Martials, free from Kauf, a dangerous prison cell of her land, which is well known for its inhuman tortures on the prisoners. But Laia can't do it alone, she needs help. Elias has finally managed to break free from the curse of killing and torturing innocent human lives by not choosing or rather say failing to become the Emperor to the throne, and now that he has failed, the new sadistic Emperor Marcus is only interested in one thing- to execute Elias and Laia publicly, but he knows, he has the perfect help to do it for him. Helene, Elias' former best friend, ex-competitor from the Trials, former classmate and the current Blood Shrike, who will have to do anything for the Emperor, but killing Elias and Laia is the most difficult task for her, and when the Emperor holds her dear parents and her sisters' lives at the cost of those two traitors, Helene knows it in her heart, where her loyalty lies.

Yet once again the author doesn't disappoints with a story so enthralling that the readers will be forced to remain glued to the pages of this book amidst the tears in their eyes, the goosebumps on their skin, the bone-chilling fear in their hearts, the raging fire boiling deep in their souls and the longing for the two most sympathetic YA characters to become one soul. Yet once again Emberlings will find happiness and satisfaction through this tale. And yet once again, readers will exclaim, "Skies, what a story!"

The author's writing style is eloquent and emphatic and the readers will find it no trouble at all to comprehend with the author's story telling style. The narrative is highly absorbing and holds the power to suck the readers right into its flow. Told from the perspectives of the three main protagonists, the dialogues flow deep into the very soul of these three characters, that the readers will find it easy to contemplate with their feelings and thoughts. The pacing of the book is really fast as there is so much adrenaline rushing actions that won't let the readers to look away from the story. This time, too, the author unravels the story through multiple layers and unpredictable twists that will only keep the readers anticipating for the next unnerving event to occur that will finally left them shocked to the very core.

The fantasy world that the author created here is really well constructed, proper with sound logic and sense to make the readers believe in such a mystical universe's struggles and problems where one group of people (Martial) wants to eradicate the entire race of Scholar because they are aware and have insecure with the fact that there is someone among the Scholar who holds the knowledge of the key secret of their steel-craft and other such power. The readers will lose themselves in such an entrancing and striking universe, that has been inspired from the ancient Rome with an Arabic flair.

Yet once again, the characters, from this book, shine like diamonds in the rough, meaning they are extremely well developed, as the author, here, explores the deepest parts of their soul where their evil spirits and the good spirits fight against one another to keep them sane. The main character, Laia, founders from her old charm as her portrayal is not that powerful or striking enough to make the readers root for her. Laia makes a ton of mistakes, at times, the readers will feel enraged towards her actions, but then again, her flaws make her look strong among the rest of the characters. Laia doesn't evolve much in this book, she is like the same old person from the book who has lost her vigor a bit from the previous book. Elias, on the other hand, is a psychologically flawed human being, whose genuine and understanding demeanor will make the readers feel for such a lost soul who harbors some of the darkest secrets that will make the readers cry a river for him. Elias evolves a lot and bravely faces through all those twisted challenges and stands tall against the complicated nature of his own mother and his former best friend. Helene, here, is the star of the book, whose battles are extremely unpleasant yet painful enough to keep the readers rooting for her till the very end. Once again the love triangle might bore the readers and honestly, I feel like romance has very little to do in a story like this.

In a nutshell, this is an one-of-a-kind page turner that will keep the readers on their edges till the turn of the very last page that ends off with a huge bang and that will make the readers wishing desperately for the next story to appear magically. And yes this is one such magical yet alluring story that will give the readers a book hangover.

Torch Against the Night is the second book following An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and I was very much looking forward to reading it. My review on the first book you can find here. I have a love/meh relationship with this series that isn't so much complex as it is frustrating. The characters are very much alive in this book and very rarely do I find myself becoming irritated by any of them (except for one, which we will get to).

Elias and Helene are some of the best-written characters I've come across in this genre, with an emphasis on Helene. In the first book, the only two POVs were of Laia and Elias, and I was missing Helene's point of view so much that it was hard to digest. In this book, I found myself wanting to skip right to her parts. Elias' struggles kept me interested, especially with the twist.

My only caveat from this entire series is Laia. She's not nearly as irritating as some other characters that I've come across, but she is hard to like. When I say that, I don't mean "hard to admire" or "hard to understand". The Commandant in this series is a wretched woman and I genuinely love reading her parts. Laia is selfish, idiotic, and demanding, and then is attempted to be written off as kind, generous, brave, and determined. I don't mind facets in characters, but I can't get behind a character that I don't believe in. Her entire parts could be effectively cut out and the book wouldn't suffer, it would thrive. Helene and Elias pulled at my heart and my mind, Laia made me stop reading for the night and decide that it was time to catch some sleep.

I won't chronicle the book because I'm sure that's already been done, but I will say that the story is driven and there are some seriously well-written parts in this book. I'll definitely keep up with the story, but here's hoping that Laia grows up a little and realizes the entire world and the lives included in it do not revolve around her wants and needs.

Laia finally knows where her brother Darin is. He's imprisoned in Kauf, which is the most secure prison in the empire. It's a place where prisoners are being tortured and a lot of them don't survive this ordeal. Laia knows she has to free her brother as soon as possible, because every day his chances of survival are becoming slimmer. Elias offers to accompany Laia on her dangerous and difficult journey and she gladly accepts his offer.

Elias has to leave his best friend Helene behind, but not for long. She's now the new Emperor's Blood Shrike and has been ordered to hunt him down and kill him. The Commandant also has plans with her son. Elias is constantly being chased. While fighting off opponents Elias and Laia also run into people who are fighting with them. Keenan is Laia's contact of the resistance and he's also coming with her to Kauf. While feelings are becoming very complicated there are battles that have to be fought and there's a prison that has to be broken into. Will they succeed or has their journey been in vain?

A Torch Against the Night is a fantastic story filled with brilliant tricks, magic, fascinating battles and difficult relationships. Sabaa Tahir has written a great sequel and I enjoyed this book just as much as An Ember in the Ashes. I especially loved the fighting scenes. Sabaa Tahir knows how to describe movements and she makes her characters come to life extremely well. Her vivid imagination is amazing and I liked reading about the phenomenal world she's created. It's dark, it's grim and it's filled with possibilities, which makes it really interesting. Sabaa Tahir writes with an extreme passion that I like a lot.

Elias and Laia have been through a lot already and there's much more to come. They never give up and they keep fighting for what they believe in. Nothing ever goes as planned, enemies are always close and it's difficult to stay one step ahead. I loved the power games and the nerve-wracking suspense. The characters are all intriguing and they have multilayered personalities. This book has three voices, Laia, Elias and Helene. I enjoyed reading the story from different points of view and was again captivated by Sabaa Tahir's beautiful writing. She plays with chaos and always remains in control, which is something I liked a lot. I think the An Ember in the Ashes series is spectacular and I highly recommend these mind-blowing books.

This has been on my list of long-awaited releases and I admit that I getting a little rabid in the days nearing its release. If you couldn’t tell from my rating report, I absolutely loved this book. Oh my gosh, I have so much to say about it with not enough time or words to completely cover everything I feel or think about this book. I will try my utmost best to keep it a decent length and talk about all that I want to talk about.

If you were able to read the first chapter that I believe Entertainment (correct me if I’m wrong?) released a few months back then you will know the story literally pick up from where An Ember in the Ashes leaves off. Elias and Laia are in the midst of their escape from Blackcliff with the promise of finding Laia’s brother at Kauf. There was a lot I was expecting to happen throughout A Torch Against the Night, and so much that happened that I couldn’t have imagined.

Of course, if you are an Emberling like I am, then I am sure that you were excited for the idea of an Elias/Laia epic journey to get to Kauf with some toe-curling, sinfully heart-twisting touching and kissing involved. I knew I couldn’t expect too much since Tahir announced that she finally got her four-book deal for her series, so it wasn’t going to be easy for me as a shipper. I was gonna have to suffer, but I hope as Ron Weasley puts it – I’m gonna be happy about it. And I was very satisfied with the development of their friendship and relationship. They certainly shared some emotional moments that made me shriek well into the early morning of the next day. You get some frustrating moments and some moments that you just clench your fingers into your fist and bite down on your knuckles because you want to squeal and scream and weep and make noises that are unhuman.

I felt as though Elias really grew into his own and become the main character of the book. He goes through so so so much and his character is so much better for it. Even in the wake of this book’s conclusion, I can think back on him specifically and recall all the things that have happened to him and developed him into the man he becomes by the end of the book. Much of it is surprising and unexpected, but when I sat back and thought about it – I realized that there is no other path for Elias. What he becomes is what he was meant to do and Tahir does a phenomenal job of introducing me as the reader to what he has the potential to become and ultimately be. Any other fate that could have been designed for him would not have been has poignant and fantastic as the one she carves out. And as I write this paragraph, I am made breathless at how amazing Elias is. He is my favorite character in this series for a reason and Tahir gives me ten hundred more reasons to rank him as such.

I cannot speak of Elias without speaking of all the other characters, especially Laia who finds the light in all things dark – the hope in all things hopeless. She sees the light in Elias that fortifies his characterization, but Laia rises as her own heroine.I admire her so for her determination to rescue her brother, to stop the culling of millions of Scholars, and to connect with her past that has so rightly stayed lurking in her thoughts. She is tenacious in her pursuits and her strength is so easy to read and admire. Yes, she makes costly mistakes, especially at a turning point in the story, but yet, those mistakes show what she is willing to sacrifice to give to another – to show her unrestrained love and devotion to the things and people she is not willing to lose. She is a heroine in her own caliber that deserves to be recognized among so many heroines that are saturating the YA market right now – she has everything a role model should be.

As always, members of the empire give me the creeps. I fear the Commandant and Marcus as much as I hate them – with the hot furious passions of a thousand burning suns. So I’d like to say that is a feat in it of itself. I saw a photo that Tahir released of one of those shirts that list the characters connected with the ‘&’ symbol and at the end, it said Marcus&Keris and I was squinting my eyes at it in scrutiny because 1) Tahir would totally NOT do that and 2) SAY WHAT. So I was expecting some twisted relationship of corruption and darkness to unraveled. I am relieved to say that is not the case. However, I was taken aback by the fury and evil that was present in the Commandant. I have some hope for Marcus that I hope ends in a redemption arc. But I have no shred of humanity to spare to the Commandant and her ruthlessness. She is as vicious as she was in the first book, if not more so now if she were more present in this book. This book includes a lot of perspectives and is a traveling novel of sorts – so I didn’t spend as much time with some of the characters as much as I did with An Ember in the Ashes.

Okay, I admit that it’s getting hard to keep this review short. But I just have to get everything out on this review. So please bear with me – this is actually one of my more coherent and fleshed out reviews.

I feel so much more for Helene than I did in An Ember in the Ashes. I imagine that it’s because I understood her fate going into A Torch Against the Night that paired with everything she experiences in this book makes my heart go out to her. (I do admit I have some prejudice against her because she is a threat to my OTP, so you should know all the facts of my bias). She goes through a lot of crap. A lot. So much that she must bear as the Blood Shrike and as Helene Aquilla. It’s devastating to read and experience especially because she has her own perspective in this series now. And what a is so unfortunate is that she has to do it a lot. Sure, she has her fellow Masks, but they are nothing to the friendship that she secured with Elias before this mess started. She has to stand on her own two feet and struggle to do so. Her rise to the character she becomes at the end of the story is hard to endure, but impossible to move forward without. As several of the characters point out, Helene is unmade and broken and made again.

Needless to say, there is a new conflict that arises here that I imagine will carry out the rest of the series to its conclusion. It is a HUGE twist in the story and brings about more of the folklore/supernatural side of the series that I so much very wanted to be explored. The characters who are more so directly exposed to such events are Elias and Laia and I believe so rightfully so. I can’t wait to read more about this part of the story and oh my goodness, it will be a tortuous wait until the third book.

I am all over the place but I want to address how moved I was about the themes of family in this book and how family plays and enormous role in how these characters move forward and how they evolve from the characters they were in book one. I don’t know why this affected me so much - but I do get a peek into all of their familial relationships. I feel as though this is the main reason I began to like Helene’s character so much more. She’s in the ultimate fight between keeping her oldest friend (and love) alive or sacrificing him for the loyalty to the empire and the mortality of her family.

I was so so excited to get a look into Elias’s past with his adoptive family in Nur. We get that! And I am so happy because this is what made me love him more - being able to read his character with a family that isn’t the Commandant. But there are more facets to his familial relationships that come to light and it makes me hurt so much for him.

Side note: I wish I could talk about Keenan because I have much to say about him, but what I want to say is super spoiler-y so I will leave that to you readers to find out the mystery that is him.

This paragraph may get a little squirrel-y for me and I may become incoherent but I can’t leave this review without addressing the last chapter and how much it made me feel. I read it twice because it was just that good and splendid and if the series had ended here, I would have been so freaking satisfied. I mean, there is a lot of unfinished business as I’m sure Tahir wanted everything to be left open to her third and fourth books so I understand the intention there – BUT THOSE LAST FEW PAGES. I could use all the happiness that I feel for those pages to keep me young for the next 200 years. And that’s a minimum. The glow of it will soon fade because it will have worked its way into my heart and become a permanent resident of my heart, but I imagine that once book three is out, it will glow and beat so hard that it will burst because there’s already so much feels for An Ember in the Ashes and A Torch Against the Night.

In case you really wish to know about how it ends (not too much of a spoiler, but for those who are scared to finish because of some awful torment of a cliffhanger)…..THERE IS NO ENORMOUS CLIFFHANGER WHICH GIVES ME LIFE.

Though this gives Sabaa Tahir so much more power in giving near-death cliffhangers in the future. Now that she knows there is a book three and four, the ending of book three will be vicious and cause me to have visceral reactions.

I liked this book. It was fast-paced, quick, and got your heart racing within a few minutes of cracking open the cover. However, this book was definitely disappointing. This sequel definitely didn't match with the first book, An Ember in the Ashes.
Elias is an ex-Mask, running away from Blackcliff, from the Commandant, from all of the government that he so desperately hated. Paired up with Laia, he was running for his life. Elias is a careful and skilled fighter, while Laia is only a Scholar, one of the lower-class people. Laia is part of the rebellion, while Elias... is rebelling. In my own opinion, I don't like Laia. She seems too annoying to me. During the book, she was overestimated and for some reason, people liked her. I didn't really understand why people apparently gravitated to her, she wasn't charming or funny. She didn't really have any likable personality traits, except for the "determination" Elias loves her for.
In this book, they're traveling across the country to run away from the Emperor, and also to free Laia's brother. Many different people help them along the way, with mysterious and endearing personalities.
There's a love triangle in this book. And I was honestly so disappointed by this. Laia liked both of them? No, she did not. It was obvious that she was gravitating towards Love Interest A, but she still "fell in love" with Love Interest B. Although, this love triangle seemed to end near the end, so at least we (hopefully) don't have to deal with a love triangle in the third book.
This book had a lot of action, at least, and I absolutely loved Helene. She was, by far, my favorite character. She had gusto, she had nerves, and she was skilled. Also, she had MAGIC. She has to deal with a lot of suffering, since she is now Blood Shrike to her enemy.
This book encounters a lot of death, but I think that it's handled very tastefully. The world building was magical, and you could really feel the characters' emotions. Despite my loathing mixed feelings for Laia, I still appreciated the other characters and felt like the plot was very thorough. There was a LOT of foreshadowing.
This book is in first person and switches POVs about every chapter, between Laia, Elias, and Helene. Did I like this book? Yes, I definitely liked this book. I would probably give this book three stars. A good read, if you don't hate Laia. I definitely recommend this for whoever read the first book, and loves escape books and fantastic mythological worlds.

Ahh yes I am so glad and happy that I check this book out from the library, because I had to find out what happen next after the An Ember In The Ashes cliffhanger ending. And ohh my a lot happens in this book that I just can't explain without spoiling anybody. That just say a lot happens that goes down well I think at less a lot of good and bad stuff goes down in A Torch Against The Night which I thoroughly loved and enjoyed reading ever moment of it. It kept me on my toes throughout the whole book and there were also some twist and turns that I so did not see coming that had me surprise. I so love when an author can surprise me with the twist in there books that I so didn't see coming, and there were some twist in this book that left me super surprise. Just Ugh I wish I can tell you but no I won't give you any details about the A Torch Against The Night, because you have to experience this book and see what you think about it. I was fangirling while reading through the whole book because I so ship Elias and Laia together because to me there are just meant to be together. Now we do get three different pov's in this amazing book as like the Ember in the Ashes we get Elias and Laia pov's, but we also get Helene pov's. Which I don't know how I felt about reading her pov at first, because I really don't like Helene. But I tell you the truth I really did enjoy reading Helene pov's because we get more in depth and learn a lot more about Helene. I still don't like Helene but I just felt just terrible for her on what she was going through as blood shrike and under control of the crazy empire Marcus. Now I am going to leave it off here because I don't want to spoil anything, but all and all I just loved and enjoyed everything in A Torch Against The Night to me it was absolutely a fantastic book. But I do totally understand why some readers don't like this book so much and that absolutely alright I just loved and enjoyed it more. Now I can't wait for the third book A Reaper at the Gates to see what happens next after again a cliffhanger ending in A Torch Against The Night. A Reaper at the Gates will be one of my highly anticipating books that I can't wait for it to come out next year!

Never have I been so thankful for the fact that I had the sequel in my shelf, ready to read, as soon as I finished the first book. Heck, I don't even go for sequels most of the time for that matter! But after finishing Ember, the burning need ( no pun intended ) to know what happens next was so intense, and I was also looking forward to know the answers of a lot of questions which the first book left unanswered. Even though Ember had a few glitches, I really enjoyed the book, especially the brutality and the characters, but Torch managed to surpass it all, and I just frankly love this book to pieces!

A Torch against the Night picks up exactly where Ember left off. Elias - a former Mask - and Laia - a former slave - are on the run, on a quest to save Laia's brother from the deadliest prison of the Empire. With the new ruthless Emperor Marcus, the vicious Commandment, Elias' best friend and the Blood Shrike - Helene and even more unexpected enemies trying to capture them, both Elias and Laia have to do everything they can to survive, and save the boy who can change the fate of the Empire.

A Torch Against the Night was just freaking fabulous! It kept up to the amazing qualities of the first book while offering so much more. More action, a faster pace, deeper characters and much more brutality and blood shed. The book was glorious overall, and it kept me on edge throughout the story.

One of my favourite things about the book is the characters. While we saw enough of Laia and Elias in Ember, I feel like we actually saw the layers of their personalities in this one, especially Elias. Elias' guilt, morality, the human in him which keeps the warrior stable and his inner battles was all perfectly portrayed in this book. As for Laia, her character developed quite a lot, and it was a treat to see her becoming a fierce and brave soul from the uncertain girl who was afraid she won't live up to her mother in the first book.

Helene. I want to hug her tightly while gazing up her in utter amazement. I loved the fact that we were able to see her side of the story, and though the book tracks the journey of Elias and Laia for the most part, this was undeniably Helene's book. Part of me was uncertain about Helene in the first book, but in this one, she just managed to make me fall in love with her. This girl is just breathtaking. She goes through so much, yet faces them all with her head held high, in a way which only Helene Aquilla can. She was the badass main character I've wanted in YA for a long time, and I can't wait to read more of her.

Old characters return, while new ones are introduced. While some of the minor characters I loved in the first book didn't have much screen time in Torch, I loved the new additions. Tas, a boy who was only there for a couple of chapters, but managed to capture the spotlight; Afya and her amazingness; Mamie Rila's quiet strength; the Warden of the Kauf - who was a rather interesting and fascinating villain; the interesting development of the Nightbringer and most of all, my fav addition, Avitas Harper, whom I really need to know more about and ship so hard with Helene #pleaseletthishappen

Unlike in Ember, where the pace and action picked up in the second half of the book, A Torch Against the Night was a neverending battlefield, from start to end. There was no time to rest, no page to take a break. It was so happening, and the action was so vivid and descriptive that I could feel the adrenaline pumping through myself as I read some of the most intense scenes. Sabaa doesn't shy away from brutality, casualties, death, grief and bloodshed. I loved how real she made the atmosphere feel, without holding anything back.

Overall, Torch was everything I wanted in a sequel, and even better than the first book. It was filled with never ending action, unflinching brutality, lots and lots of deception, betrayal, twists, emotions and awesomeness. Even if you weren't the biggest fan of An Ember in the Ashes, I would suggest to give this one a try, as it patches all those drawbacks the first book had, and delivers an enthralling experience.

Title: A Torch Against the Night

Author: Sabba Tahir

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Series: An Ember in the Ashes, book two

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Sabaa Tahir, once more, you have completely ruined my life.

I don't want to give any spoilers! I dread doing that, and risk ruining someone else's reading experience. But I will say this: A Torch Against the Night does complete and utter justice to its predecessor, and it completely blew my mind. Sequels often make me nervous, especially for a book that I really enjoyed, because I'll often be disappointed. But I had nothing to worry about here. You are thrust immediately into Elias and Laia's world once again, and the pacing is so breakneck that it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. It was so, so good! It had everything I wanted in a sequel and more. The only problem is, the third book doesn't come out until 2018. (Cue me sitting in a corner in the fetal position, weeping pathetically.)

A Torch Against the Night picks up where the last book left off, with Laia and Elias heading for the dreaded Kauf Prison, in hopes of freeing Laia's older brother, Darin. And that's all I'm going to say about the plot, because as I said previously, I don't want to give anything away. But rest assured that if you choose to read this, you will not be disappointed! Breakneck pacing, gorgeous, beautiful prose, twists and turns at every chapter, characters old and new, and so much character development! Easily one of my favorite books of 2016! I demand a sequel!

4-1/2 stars

I adore this series. It has its moments of unbelievability/conveniences, but it is so much fun and action-filled that I have no trouble pushing aside those nuisances and enjoying the story, the settings, and the characters. Smartly, the publisher used the same narrators from the first book for Laia and Elias plus they added a new one for the new voice of Helene. I continue to love these narrators—especially Elias. I’m so in love with Steve West’s voice that I’ve Liked him on Facebook!

The story continues where the first novel, An Ember in the Ashes, left off. As with the first novel, this installment was packed with action, forward motion, and suspense. The evil characters are still extremely evil. There is a lot of violence. But there is also heroics and love and loyalty and hope. The terrain is interesting and well-described. The events are well-staged. And the escapes are close. Just awesome!

I had planned to meet the author, Sabaa Tahir, when she was in town for the Decatur Book Festival this summer. However, that day became the 50th birthday celebration for one of dearest friends and could not miss that. I do hope she returns to Atlanta in the near future.

The BIG PROBLEM is that I see the 3rd book in the series isn’t scheduled to come out until 2018. By then, I will likely have well-forgotten the details of this story, making the next one inevitably less enjoyable.

Below is a copy of y review for "An Ember In the Ashes" which can be applied to "A Torch Against The Night" with one less star, simply because after reading ATAN, the story isn't finished. There is more to tell here, the Commandant, Marcus, as well as the main characters.

"The first page in, I knew that there would be a number of late nights reading because I found this book so difficult to put down. I am well past in years, YA readers, but when I come across a book like this, well, I'm all in. The storyline is somewhat familiar, another book that I am reminded of, but can't quite remember. But, An Ember in the Ashes, is a truly good, frankly, excellent read. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it. So much that 3 hours after my bedtime when I finished the last page, I immediately downloaded A Torch Against The Night, the sequel.

Well done Sabaa Tahir! If writing isn't your day job, then give up the day job in favor of writing. And by the way, where and when is the third volume in this series?"

Wow! I have no words to fully explain how much I absolutely LOVED this book. If I could give it 10 stars, I would.

Sabaa Tahir is a brilliant author with an imagination of pure gold. I'm in love with the main characters, Laia, Elias, and Helene - they are all so well developed and so very much alive to me. It is very difficult to change perspectives and often one character falls through the cracks. However, Ms. Tahir brilliantly weaved together such a deep development of all three characters within their own perspectives that I could not help but fall in love with each, rooting for each in turn as the story unfolded.

The plot was also amazingly inventive, changing direction so suddenly that I was taken aback several times over. Even though I suspected certain changes or discoveries coming, I was completely clueless how they would be revealed or worked into the story line.

In the end, I was unable to put the book down. I enjoyed every letter of every word on every single page and wished for the book to be endless. I certainly hope and pray that Book 3 will be available soon. I cannot wait to continue the adventure and see the story unfold further.

I highly recommend this book to all YA and older. Happy Reading!

ATATN was one of my most anticipated novels of 2016, since last year I absolutely ADORED An Ember in the Ashes. It was an interesting new fantasy plot, and I easily fell in love with the world and the characters. Plus, the novel caused me a heck of a lot of pain. The sequel brought just as much pain as the first, new twists, and new characters for me to love.

However, I felt this plot was a little rushed – and it wasn’t due to the fact I read this book in less than two days. (Okay, that may be part of it, but let me explain). There was a lot, and I mean a LOT of time skipping going on in this novel. I’m talking months of time. In my opinion, it took away from plot development as well as character development and relationships between the characters. The main thing I am referring to is the relationship between Laia and Elias. I do ship them together, but at the same time, their relationship felt very rushed. Due to all the time skipping, we didn’t see them building up much of a bond and I felt the romantic interactions were lacking. They were both so attached to people they barely know. However, from another point of view, I can see that their relationship is still developing and due to the complications of the end of Torch, and I have a feeling they will be put through hell (even more than they already have).
In regards to the plot in general, I can’t describe how or why I felt the plot was rushed. I felt like it could have been dragged out a little more, but I do understand there was a deadline in the book. There’s just this off feeling I have, wishing there was more to the book. Other than the plot moving a little too fast for my liking, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. It didn’t disappoint as a sequel and I’m so so very much looking forwards to the rest of this series, however many books it may be.
The world was broadened, bringing us to new places, learning new characters and learning more about our beloved (as well as hated) characters from the first book. For example, we get Helene Aquilla’s point of view AKA MY QUEEN. We learn more about her family, what’s going through her head and I honestly have such mad respect for her. Avitas Harper was a new character introduced who works with Helene throughout the novel – at first I did not like him. But, as the novel went on he showed a new sign to him and we got a little background and long story short I love him. And have a new ship…heheh.
We got to see a little more into Elias’s character as well as Laia’s, but in all honesty I was craving more of Helene’s POV and her story this book. You’ll even see the title is about her. Anywho, there was one part of the novel where I totally guessed correctly – about a character and oh boy was I yodeling when it was revealed. I couldn’t believe it! There are so many twists and turns in this novel – especially with our oh so favorite villains, Marcus and Keris. Keep an eye out, and DON’T TRUST ANYONE.

All in all, I did enjoy ATATN. It was a thrilling, exciting, heartbreaking, and intense sequel. I’m so so excited to see what’s in store for all the characters in the third book. I highly suggest reading the sequel if you enjoyed AEITA, and if you haven’t read ATATN, then you should definitely read the first.
After reading this novel, I immediately hopped into Empire of Storms and well if you’ve read Empire of Storms, you probably know I’m dead. I read ATATN way too fast, and had mostly forgotten AEITA by the time this book came out so I think I need a reread. If I re-read I’m sure some of my viewpoints may change in regards to A Torch Against the Night due to the fact I read so fast and was trying to cram for Empire of Storms. I do think this novel is worth a read! I’m a mess over the end of ATATN…and do not want to wait a whole year for the next.

A Torch Against the Night continues where An Ember in the Ashes left off, but does not capture the same feeling as the first book. This book is very repetitive and is more ruthless than its predecessor, leaving readers with an overall feeling of hopelessness that drags the novel down. Elias and Laia’s quest to rescue Laia’s brother from Kauf prison, the most formidable in the Empire, is fraught with complications and situations that threaten their very existence. Between the love triangle, that makes no sense considering the danger in which they find themselves, and the slow pace of the rest of the book, I just did not feel a connection with the characters in A Torch Against the Night. The narration was good, although some of the dialogue was cringe worthy. The author did a good job creating a world for which her characters to live, but I am disappointed with the quality of character development. I definitely would recommend An Ember in the Ashes, but think readers should cautiously approach A Torch Against the Night.

A fantastic sequel, "A Torch Against the Night" begins exactly where "An Ember in the Ashes" leaves off. Laia and Elias are fleeing to begin their quest to rescue Laia's brother from Kauf prison. The whole book takes place along their journey, alternating viewpoints from Laia, Elias and Helene. I absolutely loved every second of the adventure- it's a stunning sequel and a great book in its own right. The story is still growing and we are given more and more clues but the story is not complete by the end. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Helene was probably my favorite character in the first book and remains so in this book. She is torn between loyalty to her family, the empire, and to Elias, the boy whom she loves and who has been her friend for so long. She's courageous and bold and multifaceted. She is not perfect but she is constantly trying to do her best. She has a very difficult time of things in this book. I was really excited to get to read her perspective and learn more about her.

This book has some very harsh villains. It may be too much for younger readers. They surprised me at times, as did many of the other characters. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is a book wherein a lot of things change and characters evolve.

Overall, it's a fantastically woven story- I was given chills, brought to tears, and loving every second of the character's journey.

It seems Tahir forgot her own story line from An Ember in the Ashes and decided to go elsewhere. Laia, one of two main characters, has the spotlight in this book, which is too bad, as Elias was far more interesting. The rescue of the brother should have been a two-chapter undertaking rather than the focus . The focus we hoped for was the confrontation between Elias and Marcus, which seemed inevitable in the first installment, and that should have been developed further but instead went nowhere. Indeed, we now find Elias emasculated and relegated to half-wraith status, incapable of ravaging or burning anything. The mystery of who his father might be remains unsolved, virtually unmentioned. I also found that the addition of too many jinn and other magical creatures added little to the original plot, which centered on very human emotions. It now seems that Tahir's movie deal has been shelved, and deservedly so after this effort. Very disappointing.

I don't know how Tahir does it, but just like with Ember in the Ashes, I found myself feverishly reading chapter after chapter in the hopes of finding out what happened next. The novel was exciting and fast-paced, and I loved the fact that we got to see more depth to the characters in this novel. Tahir continues to write from alternating points of view through the voices of Elias and Laia, and the added POV from Helene (new to this novel). I am usually not a fan of switching POVs every chapter or so, but I find that the author is able to switch between characters with proficient skill and still stay true to the original plot.

What I like about this novel (and the series in general) is the fact that the characters are not perfect. I feel that the author takes care to portray the human nature of each character, which I think allows readers to relate better to each individual person and dive deeper into the story. I also like the writing style of the book; Tahir writes in a clear and concise manner that nevertheless allows for adequate description and expression of dialogue. There is also depth to her words, and little phrases that seem to extend beyond the scope of the story (eg; "loneliness is a choice...") are sprinkled throughout her novel and provide food for thought.

There are some aspects of the novel that do leave me conflicted (hence the 4/5). While I think the POV from Helene gives a new spin on the story, I am not sure there is enough dimension to her character such that she deserves a separate POV. I was more interested in following the story of Elias and Laia and so having the added Helene chapters was like a sort of impasse to the real story. There is also quite a bit of violence and torture depicted in this book (especially the scenes at Kauf prison), which was off-putting to read about. Some of the scenes in particular seemed to allude to Holocaust-like torture which was something I was not comfortable with (especially as children were involved). As such, parents may wish to take note of this and perhaps preview the novel before allowing their kids to read the book, as there is also some sexual content.

Overall, I think this is a great series so far, and I can't wait to see what Tahir has in store for her characters in the next two installments of the series.

I had pretty high hopes for this book since I really enjoyed the first in the series. Unfortunately, I thought that this one was much slower than the first and at times I got a bit bored. I just didn't feel like the book had enough "oomph." Kind of like the author rushed it. I just didn't care about the characters or anything that happened.

Still absolutely worth the read, but I would not reread this one.

Favorite lines:
I've shared it all. The words liberated me. Perhaps I have become so accustomed to the burden of secrets that I do not notice is weight until I am free of it.

Don't you see? So long as you fight the darkness, you stand in the light.

My mind orders me to stay silent, but my heart screams to be heard.

Once again a book with all the elements I need to enjoy a good book. This book also lets me get lost in it when dealing with life realities. This book has mystery, a ton of it with all of the secrets the augors, the commandant and the jinns keeps, giving very little out at a time to the key characters in destroying the empire. This book has endearing characters that plays vital parts in helping Elias and Laia succeed in their efforts of destroying and rebuilding the empire. This book shows hope and love throughout Elias and Laia journey. This book shows hatred and vengeance throughout Helene's journey as the Blood Shrike! This book shows mayhem through the fights, riots and genocides that of certain groups. This book was good all the way to the end!! I can't wait for the next installment!!!

Tahir’s writing is vivid and her prose like musical notes to my ear. Not only did she capture the emotions of each character she brought each scene to life. As Elias and Laia traveled a sandstorm kicked up, and she allowed me to experience it. I could taste the sand and hear the relentless wind. We travel through villages and forests as we make our way towards the prison. Along the way, we learn more about the characters face Helene’s pursuit and pick up allies. It was intense and Tahir did not spare our feelings as she conjured up this brutal world.

Tahir’s writing lends itself perfectly to audio and the narrators certainly enhanced my experience. I adore Fiona Hardingham accent and it lends itself perfectly for the voice of Laia. Steve West brings Elias to life. I particularly loved Katherine McEwan’s rendition of Helene. I felt she captured Helene’s insecurities and struggles. At this point I cannot imagine enjoying this series any other way.

A Torch Against the Night left me bloody and spent. While it leaves the reader in a good place, this tale is far from over and I am eager to return. Audio provided by publisher, full review at caffeinated book reviewer.

After reading An Ember in the Ashes, I went right into the next book--A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir and loved it too. In this one, Helene's point of view is added in the telling of the story and it is exciting right from the start. Much of the book is Elias and Laia on the run with Helene and her three black guards chasing after them but the author has a way of having things happening in different places at the same time and making great use of cliff hangers at the end of the chapters to keep your interest. There are some sad parts and the characters did some things I didn't like or understand; however, it did make for a good story. I really like Helene who is put through the ringer in this book. This book has some surprises and again, some tight situations where. I felt I was on a roller coaster with all the ups and downs in this book. It moved a bit slow at the beginning, but the last third of the book made up for it! I had to take a break after several of the chapters to let things sink in and then go right back to it to see what would happen next. I look forward to reading the rest of this series!

Sabaa Tahir does it again with A Torch Against the Night. In her second installment in An Ember in the Ashes series, we follow Elias and Laia in their escape from the Empire and their quest to free Darin, Laia's brother who holds the secret to the success of the rebellion, from Kauf Prison. We see Helene try to reconcile her roll as Blood Shrike with her friendship with Elias and her roll in his escape.

A Torch Against the Night is a fast paced, fly through the pages, heart racing, palms sweating read that will have you trembling right alongside Elias, Laia, and Helene. Tahir's writing is flawless, and unlike many sequels, it's not bridging a gap or grasping towards a drawn out ending, it's perfectly plotted and the story moves easily.

All three viewpoints are incredible, reading through each character's eyes puts into perspective Elias's guilt, Laia's unwinding mystery, and Helen's conflict. Helene's story alone takes the cake. She is faced with so many difficult decisions and trials and her internal conflicts over them are so tragic and relatably human.

I cannot say anything bad about this book, I give it a 10/10 and I will anxiously fly through books while I await A Reaper at the Gates

Book 2 of An Ember in the Ashes. A pair of lovers flee for their lives in a classic picaresque novel in which it is us against the world and the odds are stacked heavily against them. Reading Book One first is a definite prerequisite. That said this book is eminently readable and the action will carry the reader along.

Loyalties are divided and serving those you do not respect and with those you despise and know spy on you.... Invented profanity is still swearing, just not the words with which we have become all too familiar. The story is told in the third person alternate chapters from Laia, Helene, and Elias’ point of view. Life here is violent, blood runs in the streets and rivers run red.

Although the central pair achieve a certain resolution the causes of their distress remain unsettled. Will there be a book 3 in which the coming wars are fought?

Laia and Elias are on the run from the Empire. They are hunted by old enemies and old friends, but Laia is determined to rescue her brother, and Elias is determined to keep his promise to help her.

This sequel picks up right where An Ember in the Ashes left off, and the pace doesn’t slow. We learn more about the characters we already know, and meet a few new ones along the way. Deciding who to trust is key.

Once again, Tahir pulls you into her world and doesn’t let you go. Rich characters, detailed plot, and adventure on every page. This second novel more than lives up to the first, and I sincerely hope there is a third in the works. Tahir is an amazing storyteller.

As with the first, this YA is definitely more suited for mature young adults: detailed, brutal violence; mild swearing; and a mild, cut-away love scene.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
Book Two of the An Ember in the Ashes series
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: August 30, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC received via trade

Summary (from Goodreads):

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. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts.

In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire’s twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself—a mission that might destroy her, instead.

What I Liked:

Huh. I feel a little bad about my rating, given how excited I was to read this book. Like, I have been ecstatic for months, after hearing that there would be a sequel. I adored An Ember in the Ashes. But this book didn't live up to my vast expectations. While I think it's a well-written book, and the author will go far with this one (like she did with Ember), there were many things that didn't work for ME, as a reader.

Elias and Laia are the two most wanted people in the Empire. Fleeing chaos, the Commandant, the new Emperor Marcus, and the new Blood Shrike Helene, Elias and Laia are determined to reach Kauf prison and free Darin. But something deadly happens and slows the pair down, only to meet up with past allies, one of whom is questionable. Meanwhile, Helene struggles to gain respect and loyalty as the new Blood Shrike. Everyone knows of her deep friendship with Elias - including the Emperor, who sends Helene to hunt down and kill Elias. While hunting Elias and Laia, Helene will find out if she's capable of truly betraying her best friend - and what truly lies in her heart.

The positives: I was never bored, there are a lot more explanations about magic, the hunt is a merry chase, and the body count is pretty staggering (which makes things interesting). Other positives are more minor and I'll mention them briefly.

I was never bored while reading this book, which I always consider when I rate books. Was I bored? Was I enthralled? Did I want to chuck the book? Did I fall asleep? Did I want to hug the book? I wanted to chuck this book several times, but I definitely wasn't bored. Tahir writes an excellent story, and she writes it well. The plot is interesting (though I had issues with some of the events), there are twists and turns that are predictable but much appreciated.

I am very happy to see more explanations and usage of magic in this book. One of the things I wanted to see more of was magic, as well as why Laia seemed special, and what she was seeing. There are efrit and jinn and a reaper, all kinds of creepy and neat creatures. Pretty much everything mystical and magical in book one is explained in this book, and in big ways. Laia is and isn't as special as we think. Elias, on the other hand, has a lot going on in the magic world.

The body count is crazy high in this book. Most of them are Scholars, unnamed victims in the war. But there are some critical deaths in this book. The carnage is everywhere!

I'm feeling kind of ehh about Laia, but I loved Elias in this sequel. He undergoes a subtle transformation. He has always been more compassionate than most Masks, and that trait comes into play in a big way. Elias is hurt mentally and physically and emotionally the most in this book, and I kind of hate Laia for it (she's to blame, indirectly and directly), but I like what Elias has turned into. He is so selfless, and he uses his Mask training for good.

Overall, I think the author expanded this world really well, as well as she expanded the setting. Experiencing the story from Elias, Laia, and Helene's POV was interesting, and not too confusing. I'm impressed with the depth and raw emotion of this book, and how dark it is. But some things were not to my liking, and I'll discuss them below.

What I Did Not Like:

***PARAGRAPH FIVE HAS SPOILERS***

This book frustrated me. On the one hand, I had been SO excited to read it, and I wanted to love it. I saw great reviews even earlier than my own, so I knew that it probably wasn't going to disappoint. Emphasis on probably. On the other hand... well, now that I've read the book, I've found that I didn't love it. I wasn't feeling very positive at the end. I was trying to decide if I wanted to give this one three stars or four stars, but four stars seemed way too positive. I have no idea if my justifications for giving this book three stars will make sense, or "add up", but know that I don't *feel* like this is a four-star read!

I'll start with Laia. This whole story is about Laia trying to rescue her brother. On the surface, this book is stupid. One girl trying to rescue one boy? One girl dragging down the Empire for one boy? One girl ruining Elias Veturius's life for one boy? And... that's pretty much the foundation for this sequel. I was frustrated by this. Laia is selfish - yes, it is her brother. Yes, he is supposedly able to make weapons of Serric steel (something like that - it's a rare thing). But I hate Laia a little, because of what happens to Elias because of all of this.

And trust me, I know part of me is being irrational. Elias made the choice to take Laia to Kauf. He chose, of his own free will, to leave the Empire and the Masks and not become Emperor. But I hate how Laia pushes him into doing this or that, because Elias pays for it. Dearly. Painfully. Horribly.

It was hard to read. I liked Elias and Laia both, in book one, but I really liked Elias in this book. It's clear to me that he is selfless and kind and fiercely loyal - and it almost seems like Laia is taking advantage of those qualities.

SPOILERS IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH.

ESPECIALLY when you enter in Keenan, the leader of the Scholar resistance. He roars back into the picture, and suddenly, the love triangle that I could have sworn wouldn't be a thing, was a thing. Laia and Elias have a great thing going on until Keenan pops back up, and then Laia is suddenly in love with him, but it seems like she has strong feelings for Elias... right? Well, in any case, Laia loves Keenan. Kisses Keenan. Has sex with Keenan.

*sigh* My problem with this is simply that Laia is lying to herself. She does indeed fall for Keenan (there is something that happens in the end that is proof of this), but it's artificial. Message me if you want spoilers, because the ending isn't pro-Keenan. It's weird how the author arrives at this ending, in terms of the romance. Good weird, if you like Elias and Laia. But not definitive. In any case, Laia makes a mistake with Keenan, in my opinion. How can you have sex with someone you think you love, when you feel some type of way about another person (Elias)?

In any case, we were all worried about the wrong love triangle. Helene and Elias are not a thing, anymore, or ever. Helene was out to kill Elias this whole time, and Elias was evading her, knowing she was hunting him. I felt bad for Helene.

Okay so I pretty much hated the romance. I HATE love triangles, so the idea of one love triangle popping back up sickened me. I liked that the love triangle with Helene disappeared. I didn't like the reappearance of the Keenan love triangle, regardless of the ending. About which I will not mention too much.

Oh, but I didn't like the ending either. Tahir does something with Elias that I abhor. I liked what she did with Keenan, with Darin, with Laia (even though I kind of dislike Laia right now), but not Elias. Elias goes from one prison to another to another, and it's a different type, every time. Physical, mental, emotional... I hate them all. Elias suffers the worst, out of anyone. He literally cannot catch a break and it infuriates me.

ESPECIALLY since most of it is Laia's fault. ESPECIALLY since I feel like Laia does not suffer at all, yet it was her suicide mission from the start.

Which, by the way, also makes me mad. This whole book is about rescuing one boy (well, most of the book). I felt like that was kind of a ridiculous premise? Laia and Elias are fleeing the wrath of the Empire, yes, but rescuing Darin seems superficial compared to fighting a war. Especially given how many innocent people died to break out one boy, because those innocent people helped hide Laia, or fight for Laia. STUPID LAIA.

Can we assume that there will be a third book? Because the ending of this book was terrible for Elias, but terrible in general. How can you end a series like that? You can't. I see that Goodreads has a book three up, so this makes me breathe a little easier.

I'll stop there.

Would I Recommend It:

I feel like it doesn't matter if I say that I recommend it or not, because this series is a bestselling series already and no one needs to make up their minds about it? If you've read AND liked An Ember in the Ashes, this book is definitely worth reading (hopefully you'll like it more than I did).

However, if you didn't like An Ember in the Ashes, or felt iffy about it, skip this book.

And if you haven't read An Ember in the Ashes, skip this series. Or binge-read all three books. Trust me on this!

Rating:

3 stars. Tahir, I could not care less who ends up with who, or who dies. I just want Elias to come out of everything free, sane, and with all ten toes and fingers. I literally do not care if he and Laia are together in the end. I'm 100% sure he and Helene are never happening (this is speculation, not spoilers). But I want to see Elias eating ice cream at the end of this series, or something. I feel so bad for him!

Maci's Review: I loved An Ember in the Ashes and so I couldn’t wait for A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir, but unfortunately it had to wait for me to finish my homework. I read it as fast as I could and it was amazing! It picked up right where the first one left off and had a whole new set of trials for them. Elias and Laia are on a journey to find Laia’s brother in Kauf prison while also on the run to avoid being tried for treason against the Empire. I didn’t like the character development in this one because at first Laia is a strong independent woman but is convinced by a man to just follow him and do what he does. In the end she is redeemed but it still made me angry. Other then that I liked it and would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good dystopian novel.

Zoe's Review: This book really does stand out as a torch against other books. It has a lot of frustrating decisions, but there is always something else happening that is not as frustrating. As a whole, it did not exactly pull me in but it was always busy and action filled. As Elias keeps his promise to Laia, and they work their way towards Kauf, where Laia’s brother is being held they both encounter new experiences and discover new emotions and feelings . Along the way you follow not only where Elias is heading but also what he left behind to keep his promise. Which really adds to the depth of everything that was happening and the consequences of it all. The story seemed a bit fragmented bringing different aspects and twists that did not really fit with the style of the rest of the book, but I am hoping it will make more sense in the next book. It also had some frustrating romance and regrettable moments. One thing that I did really like was the ending, as it was not the typical happy ending yet it was at the same time. I hope that does not say too much, but just know that the ending will throw one at you. Even though this book was a bit rough, I am hoping that it is just the second book curse back at it again and I am ready to read the next one to see what is in store for Laia and Elias.

Every third or fourth page someone curses, but not a "real life" cussword. No the most common in this world is apparently "skies."

"Skies!"
"What in the bleeding skies!"
"Skies, Jordan. You're going to catch a cold staying out all night."
"Skies this, skies that."

Etc. Etc. The book was interesting and has a plot that has gotten me through two books of the series despite some annoyances. At this time I'm not sure if I'll go onto the third one but if I do I'm not looking forward to reading through 125 uses of "skies" as a cussword again. But I'll probably continue regardless, I'm fairly curious.

For more of my reviews, follow my blog at asthebookends.wordpress.com

I picked up this series for the first time three days ago. I devoured these two books – literally devoured them. I do feel obligated to warn readers, however, this series is very dark. There is so much heartbreaking violence that sometimes it is hard to read.That being said, I loved this book. It was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing constantly.

The three main characters, Laia, Elias, and Helene are all relatable and likable in their narratives. I will start with Helene. Even though, to me, her feelings were the most genuine in An Ember in the Ashes (her love of Elias was unwavering), I didn’t love her. I felt as though she only cared about serving the corrupt Empire, and Elias. In this book, reading things from her point of view really helped me understand and come to love her as a character. The struggles she faces, the choices she has to make, sucked me in. At the end of the first book, when she swears fealty to Marcus, I was completely unsure how to feel – would she use her closeness to the new Emperor to overtake him? Or would she continue to be unwaveringly loyal to her corrupt and murderous Empire? When Marcus tasks her with finding and killing Elias, her internal struggle made her more human to me, more relatable. Her emotional state at the end of the book leaves me wondering what path the author will take with her in the final book. Whatever path Helene ends up on, I really really hope it involves Harper! We didn’t get to see much of him this book, and I’m hoping that changes in the final book – Helene deserves a happy ending. Maybe Harper is involved in it somehow?

While Helene hunts Elias and Laia, they have their own obstacles to overcome. How to save Darin from Kauf with Helene trailing them? With an entire Empire searching for them, they have to come up with innovative ways to reach the prison. Elias does not disappoint. I enjoyed his character in the first book, but his selflessness and constant need to do the right thing in this book really drew me to him. He became my favorite character. His struggles are constant – how could they not be with such a corrupt and evil mother on his trail? Each new challenge he was issued, he faced with a steely determination. He really uses his Mask training and cunning in this book and I loved it. Not only is he trying to help Laia, he spends most of the book struggling with his inner demons and the people he had to kill in the trials and during his escape.

Finally, Laia. I am unsure how I feel about her at the end of this book. I can’t express my frustration in its entirety without giving away spoilers, but at times I found myself trying to yell at her through the book. Her poor choices in relationships aside (ugh Keenan), she remains a likable character. She is just single-mindedly focused on Darin while I feel that the other characters are better at seeing the bigger picture. I found myself counting the pages in her chapters because I was eager to return to the POV of Helene and Elias. After the way this book ended, I look forward to seeing what her next step is. I’m sure she plays a major part in the revolution, I just haven’t figured out yet what it is.

My Takeaway: This series has quickly become one of my favorites. I look forward to the final installment in the trilogy and can’t wait to see what will become of these characters! While it is a dark and violent series, the author has crafted an interesting world and incredible characters.

Overall fantastic book. Harper was my favorite character. But I could of done without Helene's pov. The reason it loses a star is because of the love triangle and Laia. I despise love triangles, and this one felt especially fake and forced. Sometimes, I'm okay with love triangles because they're believable but this one wasn't and I lost some of the love I had for Laia when she slept with Keenan.Too be honest she didn't even seem aware that she had feelings for both of the boys, but she was only aware how they made her feel and she got hot and bothered whenever either of them looked at her. There was no internal conflict or self-doubt warring inside her because of her feelings for both boys. Also, I found myself getting annoyed with Laia because there were a lot of moments imo where she was a puttering damsel in distress. I don't want Elias to stay the soulcatcher because it would be a waste of his character. In the next book I'm looking forward to learning about Elias's father and more about "what" Laia is and how she got her gifts. And I'm Glad Darin's back! I was kind of confused and maybe someone can help me, remember when Helene saw Keris talking to some creature and she hides herself when Keris leaves the room before going inside and the creature says to her, "you were listening" and calls himself a soul reaper? Was that the Night Bringer or someone else all together? Because I know she ran into the night bringer before and Cain stopped the night bringer from attacking her. So I was curious to know if Keris had two Masters.

The first book I listened to the audio and really enjoyed it. Maybe I should have stuck with the audio because reading this book took me a week which is unheard of but it was so tedious in parts. I thought the weakest part of the story was Elias constantly disappearing into the Waiting Place and talking with the Soul Catcher. Helene probably had the most interesting and heartbreaking storyline. I wish she had someone she really trusts by her side. The Commandant who was the big baddie in book one makes a few appearances in this story just enough to remind you that she is still the worst mother of the year. Laia makes a huge error and puts trusts where she shouldn't but we don't get to see the entire story play out to how that will ultimately effect her. I miss the tournament from the first book. I think that really added to the story.

4.5 stars

This was so so so much better that the first one. I was definitely hesitant to even read it since I struggled with Ember, but pretty much right off the bat I was struggling between wanting to devour it and savor it.

The first part of the book is a slow burn. There is some build up and some planning and then all of a sudden, a page gets turned and it's like a roller coaster. At one point, the tension was so heavy, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Excellent characters and an interesting story filled with heartbreak, action, and more feels than you could shake a stick at. I certainly hope we get at least one more book.

Edit: 7/15/16: Sabaa told me she has two more books in her head and is waiting to see if they'll be able to come out and play.

 A Torch Against the Night which is the second book in An Ember in the Ashes Series is  by Sabaa Tahir.  It was copyrighted in 2016 by the publishing company Razorbill.  A Torch Against the Night is a book about the continuing struggles that Laia and Elias's face to fight for their freedom as well as the Scholar’s freedom from the evil Empire.  In An Ember in the Ashes, the story was told in the first person format and switched between Laia and Elias’s point of view.  However, in A Torch Against the Night, a third person’s point of view was added to the mix.  That person was Helene Aquilla, who was Elias’s best friend in the first book.  Now, she is the Blood Shrike, a personal assassin for Marcus who is now the ruler of the Empire.  Having Helen’s point of view told really gives the character more depth and understanding to her plight in this book than it did in the first one. The supernatural aspect of the story is bone-chilling and adds to the history of the places and people beautifully. I have also listened to the audiobook version of the novel and would highly recommend getting it to listen to as well.  The speakers of the story were amazing and really enriched the content of the book to a whole new degree(and unfortunately made the supernatural parts scarier).  Readers who enjoyed The Scorch Trials by James Dashner will love A Torch against the Night.   I would recommend this book for young adults ages 13 and above due to torture and violence scenes.

This book was deep ya'll.

It took me a while to listen to this one.

A torch against the night left off right where An Ember in the Ashes ended. I really enjoyed this book. There were moments in the middle of the book I feel it got a bit slow while they traveled and took me a while to get through that but once they arrived at Kauf... WOW the story exploded.

And Keenan.... WHAT??? I did not see that coming.

A very good sequel.

Tahir’s writing continued to be beautiful and flawless in this sequel. It’s a great blend of lyrical descriptions and world building, creating a world full of mystery and beauty. The story is still split into the point of view of Laia and Elias, with the added bonus of Helene as well (which I absolutely loved)! Each character has their own, distinct voice and having each point of view added more complex, and important layers to the story. They also added together to create a bigger picture of what is happening which allows the reader to fully understand the story.

This novel starts off intense and stays that way throughout. It’s fast paced and action packed creating a tone of suspense that has you unable to put the book down! The plot is unpredictable and full of twists and turns that had me gasping out loud. I ended up reading this book in one sitting because I just had to know what would happen next. I will say that the love triangle/square that is going on was a bit annoying at times, and in some ways it didn’t feel genuine. There was also an important moment that felt forced and awkward and was a bit off putting. I understand that it needed to happen to move the plot along, but I just felt like it could have been done better.

I have such a love-hate relationship with the main characters. You become so sucked into their lives that you feel heart ache when bad things happen to them, frustration when they make stupid decisions, and happiness when things go right for them. Laia, Elias, and Helene went through some great character arcs that were paced really well. In fact, even some of the minor characters went through some great characters arcs, that’s how fleshed out they were! I didn’t think it was possible, but the villains become even more evil this time around. I loved how there’s more than one villain, and they each have their own goals. They create such a great conflict throughout the story.

Overall, I felt that this was a strong sequel and it left me dying to read the next book, so I would definitely recommend it!

A failure which made the author money. Tahir leaned heavily on torture of children, old women and prodded along with experimentation on prisoners and slaves without purpose, a very tedious plot. Do not waste your time this second book disappoints, you know when you no longer care because there is no point in the sadism or cruelty? No character development the violence doesn't shock bc your like yes kill all the parents, hate kill maim your own children kill dogs horses babies blah blah blah

This follow up to Ember in the Ashes was okay, but missing something. I just never felt like I had to keep reading it. It had a few interesting twists and turns, but more often than not they were rather ridiculous. Also, the whole, "I love you, but we mustn't!" thing between Laia, Elias and Keenan was getting REAL old. It basically amounts to a story about the world's longest edging session. Even still, the story was okay (but getting a little ridiculous in certain areas) and I still look forward to the next book.

Even though I own a physical copy of this book, I decided to listen to it via audiobook - and I was not disappointed. In my Six of Crows Book Review I talk about how nervous I was trying out audiobooks - so you can click the link and read through that review to read why.

I initially read An Ember In The Ashes earlier this year in the Spring and loved it. I loved how it mixed Ancient Rome with Middle Eastern Mythology and how that created this unique fantasy world that draws the reader right in and captivates.

I really enjoyed the different point of views, and how they provided a more cohesive story. So much is happening in the Empire, and seeing how 3 different people see that was fantastic. I enjoyed the pacing, never finding it too slow or two fast. There were characters I HATED, but the good kind of hate. The kind of hate where the Sabaa did her job so effortlessly that their characteristics and actions led them to be bad. I love when I have a real reason to hate a character.

One thing that did surprise me was that I actually grew to like Helene. In the first book, I honestly didn't care about her. She was an interesting character, but I wasn't swayed either way on her. In this book, I found myself actually looking forward to her chapters, and seeing the internal and external fight she was up against. Out of Elias, Laia and Helene, I think Helene had it the worst. Her life was torn out from under her, and she had to survive in the heart of a world that would sooner see her dead if she stepped one toe out of line. I loved how much she changed over the course of the book, and I cannot wait to see what hell she rains down upon the Empire in book 3!

Overall, I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who loved a unique fantasy with deep characters - I honestly don't think you'd be disappointed...just make sure to read An Ember In The Ashes first!

This is the one book I was looking forward to reading in a series. I'm torn between 3 or 4 stars because the were sections that dull or repetitive. Fighting scenes in particular became overly detailed and discredited the precision of the Masks in book 1.
I loved Mamie Rila and all she represented. Although the Augur tells Helena how her being will be broken in order to rise, it was story of Elias throughout.
References about dark and light and fire are interspersed throughout . Why aren’t you afraid?” “Fear gives him power,” I say. “Like feeding oil to a lamp. It makes him burn brighter. It makes him strong.”

Some spoiliers:
The characters were spectacular, and the intense action was riveting. That said, I could only give it three stars because it was SO GRUESOME. As in...too much! Descriptions of children being decapitated soured me to this book. Descriptions of an entire family being murdered right in front of the characters was too much. Also, evil prevails, and I strongly dislike that. The Emperor is SO evil, and is the Commandant, with little rhyme or reason. The main character has sex with someone who turns out so incredibly evil that I was absolutely disgusted. I don't know how else to say it, other than I was disappointed that evil prevailed in so many aspects. It's soured me so much that I'm done with this series.

One good note: I enjoyed the third character's point of view.

Being a sequel, I can't say much without spoilers but a Torch Against the Night is just as good as its predecessor. We learn more about the djinn and even another world. I continue to be riveted and wish the third book was written already. I've grown to love Laia, Elias and Helene over the course of the two novels and feel for them during their trials/struggles. I was very surprised by some of the things that happened in the book, which was pleasing because that meant it wasn't formulaic and obvious. Highly recommended, but read the first novel in the sreies before you begin this one.

Whereas I thought the first book was okay at best, this one totally blew me away. It delves further into politics, explores the world further, and continues to build upon new and old relationships. Helene gets her own POV in this book and that’s in part why is isn’t a 5-star for me. Aside from not being a fan of her, it was irritating at how often she needed a man to save her when she’s supposed to be one of the toughest warriors, she’s a Mask after all.

cw: racism, genocide, violence, mentions of pedophilia, undertones of sexual abuse

Ah! This book, so many feels!

As this is a sequel, I'm going to keep this short and sweet, because I don't want to give anything away, but it's so good! Rejoin old characters and meet some new ones in this epic tale! With plenty of action, twists, and surprises, it's sure to please fans of the first book (An Ember in the Ashes)! I loved the characters in this one, and enjoyed the surprises, I can't wait to see what happens next (and hope books 3 & 4 both get optioned!)

A Torch in the Night, by Sabaa Tahir, is a great follow up novel to her first book, Ember in the Ashes. This book follows 3 POV's Laia, Elias and Helene; One per chapter. The story paces nicely as it continues the saga of repression, violence and hope for a better tommorow. It shows the complexity in the world, the value in truth telling and keeping ones' word and, not giving up in adversity. And of course it shows the remains of love triangles, family love (and lack there of), and unlikely friendship.

A Torch Against The Night was such a heart poundind crazy ride! Laia is one of the bravest characters I have ever seen! No matter what the obstacle she is sure to succeed and save her brother. Elias is swift and merciless when it comes to helping Laia get to Kauf . Enemies are slaughtered and many friends and family will be lost. Helene is relentless in her pursuit of Elias until many truths are revealed. I was completely captivated by this series! Hope and heartbreak definitely came hand and hand with this book but I loved every page!

I wasn't completely happy with the way this story ended and some of it felt rushed. I almost felt like Laia and Elias were cheated out of what could have been an amazing conclusion to their story but I did enjoy the journey taken to make it where they did. Revenge was taken, people were saved, many were killed along the way, but the story pulled me into Laia and Elias little world if only for a few hours.

A Torch Against the Night is intricately beautiful. Sabaa describes sound and touch with precision and you're there with the characters and it's amazing even when you're experiencing heart break. Go figure. I highly recommend this series. Prepare your heart.

pooled ink Reviews:

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT is not as flawless as the first book but it's a compelling sequel nonetheless and it carries you to an ending that leaves you bold and ready to read the ultimate conclusion to the series.

This series is an intriguing blend of tradition, superstition, war, and honor. It’s as realistic as can be filled with the bloody brutality of the Roman empire and finished with a dash of magic and tales folded in. It’s well written so that even the surprises you guessed were coming are still rather exhilarating to read.

There are three POVS in this book: Laia, Elias, and (drum roll) Helene.
I absolutely loved reading Helene’s POV. Her voice brings a whole other perspective to the chaos that has erupted in the empire. The painful battle of loyalties that rage within her is palpable and brings a perfect level of tension to the surface with every page.

So what of that budding romance between Elias and Laia that we barely got to muse over in the first book? Well this isn’t a romance series so it’s no surprise that it continues to burn slowly and take a backseat to the war that is bubbling on the horizon. An “obstacle” between them named Keenan never honestly concerned me but he’s quite persistent so be ready for him to pop up in Laia’s life again.

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT is definitely well written and full of clever twists but if you read as many clever books by clever authors as I have then it becomes quite difficult to surprise me. Still a fantastic series though and one that I’d highly recommend! I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

Read my full review on my Wordpress blog: pooled ink

I was very excited for this book, I really loved the first. But for me, this one wobbled down the wrong path. In the first book, there were magical creatures in the world, but our main charachters were not magic, or parts of that realm. That changes here, and it lost me. I found the book more convoluted and less gripping as it lost some of its humanity/human connection. I hope the next installment moves away from that. I will likely read the next book, but my anticipation and expectations have been lowered.

Every third or fourth page someone curses, but not a "real life" cussword. No the most common in this world is apparently "skies."

"Skies!"
"What in the bleeding skies!"
"Skies, Jordan. You're going to catch a cold staying out all night."
"Skies this, skies that."

Etc. Etc. The book was interesting and has a plot that has gotten me through two books of the series despite some annoyances. At this time I'm not sure if I'll go onto the third one but if I do I'm not looking forward to reading through 125 uses of "skies" as a cussword again. But I'll probably continue regardless, I'm fairly curious.

For more of my reviews, follow my blog at asthebookends.wordpress.com

I picked up this series for the first time three days ago. I devoured these two books – literally devoured them. I do feel obligated to warn readers, however, this series is very dark. There is so much heartbreaking violence that sometimes it is hard to read.That being said, I loved this book. It was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing constantly.

The three main characters, Laia, Elias, and Helene are all relatable and likable in their narratives. I will start with Helene. Even though, to me, her feelings were the most genuine in An Ember in the Ashes (her love of Elias was unwavering), I didn’t love her. I felt as though she only cared about serving the corrupt Empire, and Elias. In this book, reading things from her point of view really helped me understand and come to love her as a character. The struggles she faces, the choices she has to make, sucked me in. At the end of the first book, when she swears fealty to Marcus, I was completely unsure how to feel – would she use her closeness to the new Emperor to overtake him? Or would she continue to be unwaveringly loyal to her corrupt and murderous Empire? When Marcus tasks her with finding and killing Elias, her internal struggle made her more human to me, more relatable. Her emotional state at the end of the book leaves me wondering what path the author will take with her in the final book. Whatever path Helene ends up on, I really really hope it involves Harper! We didn’t get to see much of him this book, and I’m hoping that changes in the final book – Helene deserves a happy ending. Maybe Harper is involved in it somehow?

While Helene hunts Elias and Laia, they have their own obstacles to overcome. How to save Darin from Kauf with Helene trailing them? With an entire Empire searching for them, they have to come up with innovative ways to reach the prison. Elias does not disappoint. I enjoyed his character in the first book, but his selflessness and constant need to do the right thing in this book really drew me to him. He became my favorite character. His struggles are constant – how could they not be with such a corrupt and evil mother on his trail? Each new challenge he was issued, he faced with a steely determination. He really uses his Mask training and cunning in this book and I loved it. Not only is he trying to help Laia, he spends most of the book struggling with his inner demons and the people he had to kill in the trials and during his escape.

Finally, Laia. I am unsure how I feel about her at the end of this book. I can’t express my frustration in its entirety without giving away spoilers, but at times I found myself trying to yell at her through the book. Her poor choices in relationships aside (ugh Keenan), she remains a likable character. She is just single-mindedly focused on Darin while I feel that the other characters are better at seeing the bigger picture. I found myself counting the pages in her chapters because I was eager to return to the POV of Helene and Elias. After the way this book ended, I look forward to seeing what her next step is. I’m sure she plays a major part in the revolution, I just haven’t figured out yet what it is.

My Takeaway: This series has quickly become one of my favorites. I look forward to the final installment in the trilogy and can’t wait to see what will become of these characters! While it is a dark and violent series, the author has crafted an interesting world and incredible characters.

Overall fantastic book. Harper was my favorite character. But I could of done without Helene's pov. The reason it loses a star is because of the love triangle and Laia. I despise love triangles, and this one felt especially fake and forced. Sometimes, I'm okay with love triangles because they're believable but this one wasn't and I lost some of the love I had for Laia when she slept with Keenan.Too be honest she didn't even seem aware that she had feelings for both of the boys, but she was only aware how they made her feel and she got hot and bothered whenever either of them looked at her. There was no internal conflict or self-doubt warring inside her because of her feelings for both boys. Also, I found myself getting annoyed with Laia because there were a lot of moments imo where she was a puttering damsel in distress. I don't want Elias to stay the soulcatcher because it would be a waste of his character. In the next book I'm looking forward to learning about Elias's father and more about "what" Laia is and how she got her gifts. And I'm Glad Darin's back! I was kind of confused and maybe someone can help me, remember when Helene saw Keris talking to some creature and she hides herself when Keris leaves the room before going inside and the creature says to her, "you were listening" and calls himself a soul reaper? Was that the Night Bringer or someone else all together? Because I know she ran into the night bringer before and Cain stopped the night bringer from attacking her. So I was curious to know if Keris had two Masters.

The first book I listened to the audio and really enjoyed it. Maybe I should have stuck with the audio because reading this book took me a week which is unheard of but it was so tedious in parts. I thought the weakest part of the story was Elias constantly disappearing into the Waiting Place and talking with the Soul Catcher. Helene probably had the most interesting and heartbreaking storyline. I wish she had someone she really trusts by her side. The Commandant who was the big baddie in book one makes a few appearances in this story just enough to remind you that she is still the worst mother of the year. Laia makes a huge error and puts trusts where she shouldn't but we don't get to see the entire story play out to how that will ultimately effect her. I miss the tournament from the first book. I think that really added to the story.

4.5 stars

This was so so so much better that the first one. I was definitely hesitant to even read it since I struggled with Ember, but pretty much right off the bat I was struggling between wanting to devour it and savor it.

The first part of the book is a slow burn. There is some build up and some planning and then all of a sudden, a page gets turned and it's like a roller coaster. At one point, the tension was so heavy, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

Excellent characters and an interesting story filled with heartbreak, action, and more feels than you could shake a stick at. I certainly hope we get at least one more book.

Edit: 7/15/16: Sabaa told me she has two more books in her head and is waiting to see if they'll be able to come out and play.

 A Torch Against the Night which is the second book in An Ember in the Ashes Series is  by Sabaa Tahir.  It was copyrighted in 2016 by the publishing company Razorbill.  A Torch Against the Night is a book about the continuing struggles that Laia and Elias's face to fight for their freedom as well as the Scholar’s freedom from the evil Empire.  In An Ember in the Ashes, the story was told in the first person format and switched between Laia and Elias’s point of view.  However, in A Torch Against the Night, a third person’s point of view was added to the mix.  That person was Helene Aquilla, who was Elias’s best friend in the first book.  Now, she is the Blood Shrike, a personal assassin for Marcus who is now the ruler of the Empire.  Having Helen’s point of view told really gives the character more depth and understanding to her plight in this book than it did in the first one. The supernatural aspect of the story is bone-chilling and adds to the history of the places and people beautifully. I have also listened to the audiobook version of the novel and would highly recommend getting it to listen to as well.  The speakers of the story were amazing and really enriched the content of the book to a whole new degree(and unfortunately made the supernatural parts scarier).  Readers who enjoyed The Scorch Trials by James Dashner will love A Torch against the Night.   I would recommend this book for young adults ages 13 and above due to torture and violence scenes.

This book was deep ya'll.

It took me a while to listen to this one.

A torch against the night left off right where An Ember in the Ashes ended. I really enjoyed this book. There were moments in the middle of the book I feel it got a bit slow while they traveled and took me a while to get through that but once they arrived at Kauf... WOW the story exploded.

And Keenan.... WHAT??? I did not see that coming.

A very good sequel.

Tahir’s writing continued to be beautiful and flawless in this sequel. It’s a great blend of lyrical descriptions and world building, creating a world full of mystery and beauty. The story is still split into the point of view of Laia and Elias, with the added bonus of Helene as well (which I absolutely loved)! Each character has their own, distinct voice and having each point of view added more complex, and important layers to the story. They also added together to create a bigger picture of what is happening which allows the reader to fully understand the story.

This novel starts off intense and stays that way throughout. It’s fast paced and action packed creating a tone of suspense that has you unable to put the book down! The plot is unpredictable and full of twists and turns that had me gasping out loud. I ended up reading this book in one sitting because I just had to know what would happen next. I will say that the love triangle/square that is going on was a bit annoying at times, and in some ways it didn’t feel genuine. There was also an important moment that felt forced and awkward and was a bit off putting. I understand that it needed to happen to move the plot along, but I just felt like it could have been done better.

I have such a love-hate relationship with the main characters. You become so sucked into their lives that you feel heart ache when bad things happen to them, frustration when they make stupid decisions, and happiness when things go right for them. Laia, Elias, and Helene went through some great character arcs that were paced really well. In fact, even some of the minor characters went through some great characters arcs, that’s how fleshed out they were! I didn’t think it was possible, but the villains become even more evil this time around. I loved how there’s more than one villain, and they each have their own goals. They create such a great conflict throughout the story.

Overall, I felt that this was a strong sequel and it left me dying to read the next book, so I would definitely recommend it!

A failure which made the author money. Tahir leaned heavily on torture of children, old women and prodded along with experimentation on prisoners and slaves without purpose, a very tedious plot. Do not waste your time this second book disappoints, you know when you no longer care because there is no point in the sadism or cruelty? No character development the violence doesn't shock bc your like yes kill all the parents, hate kill maim your own children kill dogs horses babies blah blah blah

A Torch Against the Night is the sequel to the award-winning Ember in the Ashes. It continues the story of Laia, Elias, and Helene. Laia and Elias, now on the run trying to free Laia’s brother, Darin, from the Empire’s maximum security prison, are being hunted by the Blood Shrike, Helene. As the consequences for failure grow higher and higher, they must decide whether to choose friendship or loyalty to their people.

I think this is a terrific sequel to the amazing first book. The addition of a third point of view on the side of the empire adds a unique perspective. I loved the characters’ humor and courage along with their realism. The amazing ending makes this one of the best fantasy books of the time. The theme of loyalty vs friendship makes for a very exciting book. This is a great addition to the Ember quartet and makes me anticipate the next two even more. This is a much-recommended book for all Ember and fantasy fans!

This follow up to Ember in the Ashes was okay, but missing something. I just never felt like I had to keep reading it. It had a few interesting twists and turns, but more often than not they were rather ridiculous. Also, the whole, "I love you, but we mustn't!" thing between Laia, Elias and Keenan was getting REAL old. It basically amounts to a story about the world's longest edging session. Even still, the story was okay (but getting a little ridiculous in certain areas) and I still look forward to the next book.

Even though I own a physical copy of this book, I decided to listen to it via audiobook - and I was not disappointed. In my Six of Crows Book Review I talk about how nervous I was trying out audiobooks - so you can click the link and read through that review to read why.

I initially read An Ember In The Ashes earlier this year in the Spring and loved it. I loved how it mixed Ancient Rome with Middle Eastern Mythology and how that created this unique fantasy world that draws the reader right in and captivates.

I really enjoyed the different point of views, and how they provided a more cohesive story. So much is happening in the Empire, and seeing how 3 different people see that was fantastic. I enjoyed the pacing, never finding it too slow or two fast. There were characters I HATED, but the good kind of hate. The kind of hate where the Sabaa did her job so effortlessly that their characteristics and actions led them to be bad. I love when I have a real reason to hate a character.

One thing that did surprise me was that I actually grew to like Helene. In the first book, I honestly didn't care about her. She was an interesting character, but I wasn't swayed either way on her. In this book, I found myself actually looking forward to her chapters, and seeing the internal and external fight she was up against. Out of Elias, Laia and Helene, I think Helene had it the worst. Her life was torn out from under her, and she had to survive in the heart of a world that would sooner see her dead if she stepped one toe out of line. I loved how much she changed over the course of the book, and I cannot wait to see what hell she rains down upon the Empire in book 3!

Overall, I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone who loved a unique fantasy with deep characters - I honestly don't think you'd be disappointed...just make sure to read An Ember In The Ashes first!

This is the one book I was looking forward to reading in a series. I'm torn between 3 or 4 stars because the were sections that dull or repetitive. Fighting scenes in particular became overly detailed and discredited the precision of the Masks in book 1.
I loved Mamie Rila and all she represented. Although the Augur tells Helena how her being will be broken in order to rise, it was story of Elias throughout.
References about dark and light and fire are interspersed throughout . Why aren’t you afraid?” “Fear gives him power,” I say. “Like feeding oil to a lamp. It makes him burn brighter. It makes him strong.”

Some spoiliers:
The characters were spectacular, and the intense action was riveting. That said, I could only give it three stars because it was SO GRUESOME. As in...too much! Descriptions of children being decapitated soured me to this book. Descriptions of an entire family being murdered right in front of the characters was too much. Also, evil prevails, and I strongly dislike that. The Emperor is SO evil, and is the Commandant, with little rhyme or reason. The main character has sex with someone who turns out so incredibly evil that I was absolutely disgusted. I don't know how else to say it, other than I was disappointed that evil prevailed in so many aspects. It's soured me so much that I'm done with this series.

One good note: I enjoyed the third character's point of view.

Being a sequel, I can't say much without spoilers but a Torch Against the Night is just as good as its predecessor. We learn more about the djinn and even another world. I continue to be riveted and wish the third book was written already. I've grown to love Laia, Elias and Helene over the course of the two novels and feel for them during their trials/struggles. I was very surprised by some of the things that happened in the book, which was pleasing because that meant it wasn't formulaic and obvious. Highly recommended, but read the first novel in the sreies before you begin this one.

Whereas I thought the first book was okay at best, this one totally blew me away. It delves further into politics, explores the world further, and continues to build upon new and old relationships. Helene gets her own POV in this book and that’s in part why is isn’t a 5-star for me. Aside from not being a fan of her, it was irritating at how often she needed a man to save her when she’s supposed to be one of the toughest warriors, she’s a Mask after all.

cw: racism, genocide, violence, mentions of pedophilia, undertones of sexual abuse

Ah! This book, so many feels!

As this is a sequel, I'm going to keep this short and sweet, because I don't want to give anything away, but it's so good! Rejoin old characters and meet some new ones in this epic tale! With plenty of action, twists, and surprises, it's sure to please fans of the first book (An Ember in the Ashes)! I loved the characters in this one, and enjoyed the surprises, I can't wait to see what happens next (and hope books 3 & 4 both get optioned!)

A Torch in the Night, by Sabaa Tahir, is a great follow up novel to her first book, Ember in the Ashes. This book follows 3 POV's Laia, Elias and Helene; One per chapter. The story paces nicely as it continues the saga of repression, violence and hope for a better tommorow. It shows the complexity in the world, the value in truth telling and keeping ones' word and, not giving up in adversity. And of course it shows the remains of love triangles, family love (and lack there of), and unlikely friendship.

A Torch Against The Night was such a heart poundind crazy ride! Laia is one of the bravest characters I have ever seen! No matter what the obstacle she is sure to succeed and save her brother. Elias is swift and merciless when it comes to helping Laia get to Kauf . Enemies are slaughtered and many friends and family will be lost. Helene is relentless in her pursuit of Elias until many truths are revealed. I was completely captivated by this series! Hope and heartbreak definitely came hand and hand with this book but I loved every page!

This book picks up right were the first one left off and the first few chapters were extremely fast paced and gripping. As the book continues it drags a little bit in my opinion. I did find the plot twist interesting and I did not see it coming. This book does do a good job setting up for the next book so hopefully, it will be awesome. Overall, I liked this book but I am not as in love with the series as I thought I would be.

I wasn't completely happy with the way this story ended and some of it felt rushed. I almost felt like Laia and Elias were cheated out of what could have been an amazing conclusion to their story but I did enjoy the journey taken to make it where they did. Revenge was taken, people were saved, many were killed along the way, but the story pulled me into Laia and Elias little world if only for a few hours.

A Torch Against the Night is intricately beautiful. Sabaa describes sound and touch with precision and you're there with the characters and it's amazing even when you're experiencing heart break. Go figure. I highly recommend this series. Prepare your heart.

pooled ink Reviews:

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT is not as flawless as the first book but it's a compelling sequel nonetheless and it carries you to an ending that leaves you bold and ready to read the ultimate conclusion to the series.

This series is an intriguing blend of tradition, superstition, war, and honor. It’s as realistic as can be filled with the bloody brutality of the Roman empire and finished with a dash of magic and tales folded in. It’s well written so that even the surprises you guessed were coming are still rather exhilarating to read.

There are three POVS in this book: Laia, Elias, and (drum roll) Helene.
I absolutely loved reading Helene’s POV. Her voice brings a whole other perspective to the chaos that has erupted in the empire. The painful battle of loyalties that rage within her is palpable and brings a perfect level of tension to the surface with every page.

So what of that budding romance between Elias and Laia that we barely got to muse over in the first book? Well this isn’t a romance series so it’s no surprise that it continues to burn slowly and take a backseat to the war that is bubbling on the horizon. An “obstacle” between them named Keenan never honestly concerned me but he’s quite persistent so be ready for him to pop up in Laia’s life again.

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT is definitely well written and full of clever twists but if you read as many clever books by clever authors as I have then it becomes quite difficult to surprise me. Still a fantastic series though and one that I’d highly recommend! I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

Read my full review on my Wordpress blog: pooled ink

I was very excited for this book, I really loved the first. But for me, this one wobbled down the wrong path. In the first book, there were magical creatures in the world, but our main charachters were not magic, or parts of that realm. That changes here, and it lost me. I found the book more convoluted and less gripping as it lost some of its humanity/human connection. I hope the next installment moves away from that. I will likely read the next book, but my anticipation and expectations have been lowered.

As with all of these trilogies there is a abundance of extraneous side issues. The fantasy portion becomes contrived and almost painful to slough through. Still the tale and characters are interesting enough to continue and hope there is still enough story to hold together for a good ending.

Beautifully written sequel that left me waiting for me of this story and this world. I loved the character development and the addition of Helene's voice within the story this time. I feel that Tahir is writing about such important ideas and topics, but in a way that needs to no apology. Her story keeps the reader engaged and hopeful in a world where hope is hard to come by. Loved this.

I loved the book, no question. I think people get disappointed when authors surprise us too much, many times in dark ways. This could have been a cookie cutter, lovey dovey book, but you can't have that while an empire is imploding on itself and people are dying. SPOILER, I saw what was being hinted at with Keenan about half way through. I liked him in the first book, and his character and all of his charm was stripped away slowly, and replaced by the real Keenan. I hate the choice that she had Elias make, but I hold out hope. I'm so excited to read about Harper and Darrin, and all of those other facets of the story. It took me a few Helene chapters to not role my eyes, but thats only because I didn't like her. I like her more now. I think sacrificing characters so other can grow is important, and she did it with grace. I'm excited for books 3 and 4.

This is the 2nd book in the An Ember in the Ashes story line. It picks up right where the 1st book ended. I was already hooked on the story and read it in a few days. My only disappointment was that the book ended when it did. I can't wait for story to continue. I hope the next two books really are available soon as the author states on her website.

This story took so many different twists and turns. So many new things were revealed and changes were made. One of the changes made me worry how things will end up for our couple. I want so much for them to be together in the end and I wonder how that is going to happen with what happened in this book. Now I have to wait for the next book. SIGH!!!

I am a 24 year old male, and I have to say with sincerity that I could not put this book down. The first book was similar in that regard, but A Torch Against The Night stole me from my family for 2 days. I couldn't leave it unread. Sabaa Tahir's ability to captivate your emotions and jerk them around like a Scholar Slave is uncontested. I've never read a book the way I've read hers. I've also never stopped to review a single product until this book. I also didn't even get it from the store. This leaves me no other option but to instruct you in several ways:

1. Stop what you're doing, and acquire & read the first book. (Though... you may have already done that, seeing as this is a review of the sequel)
2. READ THIS BOOK
3. Whine for several weeks like I did because the third book has a 2018 projected release date.

As good as the first. Has a satisfying conclusion for a second book in a trilogy, the characters continue to act true to themselves, and the plot thickened in interesting and unique ways. Greatly enjoyed listening to the actors in the audio book as well.

As enthralling as the first. Highly recommend this book as well as the first. This writer has an awe-inpiring way of weaving a tale that keeps you thinking you know what's going on until the end. This author has an amazing talent of world building and character creation that will leave you craving more and thinking about the story for weeks after completing it.

I absolutely loved the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes!
The story continued to evolve with some quite riveting revelations. I appreciated how the author maintained the pace, story line and character development. Brutality, scarifies, secrets and magic - it all persisted as in the first book, but with subtly added complexity.

this has topped my favorite book of all time list with ease!! i cant wait for the next book to come out. this book is ABSOLUTELY amazing and a must read!! BUY IT ITS WORTH EVERY PENNY :D
this book needs a movie

I really enjoyed this, but I thought it was a duology? Now I have to wait!

Some very interesting and unexpected things happened, and some things happened that I kind of expected. I still have unanswered questions/assumptions/theories; about Cook, about Marcus and his voices, about Elias and how that agreement works...etc.

I think this was better than book 1... i had a few start stops just because it had been awhile since i read the first book and kept trying to remember. I love how all the characters grew through pain love betrayal friendship. I just hope it takes less time for book 3 to be released. Great story

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
Most times, sequels do not live up to par and we are left disappointed with the events...
But Sabaa Tahir is a BOSS! This is one of the best bone-chilling sequels I have ever read! The points of view from each main character just held my attention throughout and I had to keep holding my breath every time something insane happens! I was relieved, angry, hurting & crying, angry again, shocked as H-E-double hockey sticks... I felt EVERYTHING!
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, READ THIS SERIES! SERIOUSLY READ IT! Remember Joffrey? Remember how that little two-faced punk king had Stark assassinated? Remember how that made you feel? And how about the Red Wedding? Did the memory of your trauma come back and haunt you? Well, you might want to drop the remote of your tv and pick up this book (but first read Book one so it will make sense).
THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE!

A great adventure with well developed characters! I was excited to start this book after finishing Ember, and it didn't disappoint. It was long, but the ending made all of the story relevant. I especially enjoyed the addition of Helene's POV in this book. I can't wait for the next installment!

Sequel you cannot put down! Characters were more developed, got to know all of them and their backgrounds. Love the strength and development of Laia and the evolution of Elias. Can't wait for the next one...hurry!

LOVED this book. The action never stops and I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. I couldn’t put it down, even when I knew I had to be a responsible adult; I can’t wait until the 3rd book. Why does June have to be so far away??

This is an amazing series! Definitely keeps you on edge every step of the way. I love the suspense and the outcomes aren't easy to guess like most books. It's filled with drama and fantasy! This has quickly become one of my absolute favorite books yet!