A Torch Against the Night (Ember Quartet, book 2)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
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.

Review: 
A Torch Against the Night starts straight after where the first book left off. It has Elias and Laia finishing their escape from Blackcliff and heading to Kauf to rescue her brother from prison. Meanwhile we now have Helene’s perspective as she has been set on the mission to hunt down Elias. 

One thing I must note that I really enjoyed about this book was how much Elias and Laia time we had. Unlike the previous book, these two had far more scenes together. So that’s, a positive. 

I have to say I didn’t enjoy this book anywhere near as I loved the first one. This one was quite slow and repetitive. It was starting to lose my attention, whereas I couldn’t put down the first book. I feel this book though is more of a filler book for the next one. It’s just to get the plot rolling for book 3. So I still have hope that book 3 will be better. 

Overall, I am giving the book 4 stars. It was close to getting 3 stars at times but I think the ending really helped turn that around. I was drawn back into the story at that point. I’m still looking forward to Reaper at the Gate.

*SPOILERS*

I think the main thing that caused me to not like this book as much as the previous was that some scenes felt like they were dragging. For example, Elias and his poisoning. Elias is poisoned quite early on in the book by his mother the Commandant. The fact that he is slowly dying is dragged on throughout the whole of the book. He was giving 6 months to live and suffers from traumas and seizures constantly. I understand it was part of the storyline to get his character to take the role he gets at the end of the book. However, I just got bored of him being useless.

Another thing I hated with the Elias storyline was him visiting The Waiting Place. I just didn’t find those scenes interesting and were just filling space in the book. I’d rather just have cut them all out if we could but that wouldn’t have solved Elias coming back from the dead.

Something I enjoyed in this book was Laia exploring her invisibility magic. Laia was able to teach herself to use it on demand and it's starting to play a big role in the book. I suspect this magical ability to become more and more useful as the series continues. 

I will also say that I also enjoyed the appearance of Cook again. I thought after book 1 we wouldn’t see anymore Cook but then we do. Cook is trying to protect Laia by communicating with Helene where Elias is on the exchange of Laia being safe. Cook seems a bit wild in this book compared to the last. As she climbs buildings and leaves odd riddles. Although she is still demanding. 

In this book, Elias and Keenan finally meet. It’s interesting to see Laia’s love interests collide. I really love how much they hate each other. If it isn’t already obvious, Elias has always been my pick for Laia. Therefore, I’m loving the Keenan hate. 

Another character I didn’t expect to return from but should have was Afya Ara-nur. She had a very minor scene in the first book where she owed Elias a favour. Now Afya needs to pay up by helping them get to Kauf. Her minor role has become an almost major role. She is quite an interesting character.

A whole new character we got to finally meet was Elias’ adoptive mother, Mamie Rila. We have heard of her but haven’t got to really meet her until this point. Mamie is asked by Afya to help with Elias and Laia’s escape to Kauf. We can see how Mamie is such a caring person and is willing to sacrifice anything for her adopted so or her tribe. She’s a very inspiring character.

The most devastating scene was when Izzy was killed. She was my favourite character. I do admit it made the story more interesting and helped with the rating of the book. As the timing couldn’t have been better as Izzy was happy and she was developing a love interest. But it doesn’t mean I’m not really sad about it. I did get cheered up to see her as a ghost talking to Elias about getting closure. That gave me closure as I believed it was intended to do. 

One scene that really disappointed me and wished didn’t happen was when Laia sleeps with Keenan. I was disappointed before we found out more about Keenan but then got further disappointed after that stuff (more on that later). I just don’t think they are a good match and the first time should have been with Elias.

Now onto the Keenan stuff. Laia gave Keenan her armlet that she always touches. She shouldn’t have done that it was all she had left from her parents and he’s a snake that deserves nothing. After she does this is when we learn the truth about Keenan. Keenan doesn’t exist; he is actually the Nightbringer. Who was there to manipulate Laia to give him the armlet. This just made everything Laia did so much worse. But I’m glad she has the full availability now to pursue Elias. 

However, there is one big issue. Elias is now The Soul Catcher. This was the deal he had to make in order to live and save Darin. This means he can’t just live a normal mortal life anymore. The book ends with him, Laia and Darin in a cabin. Anytime Laia and Elias try something the forest gets mad and they have to stop. So the frustration of their relationship continues… for now. 

A scene I thought really spiced things up to get it to the 4 star rating was Helene’s family being executed right in front of her face and her sister Livia being forced to marry Marcus. It just took Helene’s storyline in a whole new interesting direction for the next book.


Harper is set to spy on Helene while she pursues Elias. Harper I quite like as a character, I realised he was involved deeper than just as a spy quite early on in the book. I assumed it was because he fancied Helene. But it turns out he was trying to get to know Elias through Helene, as he is half brother. Again this is something I look forward to more in the next book.

Quote: 

'You are a torch against the night—if you dare to let yourself burn.'

- Cain, A Torch Against the Night

Rating: 4 runes out of 5

written by Lauren

A Torch Against the Night (Ember Quartet, book 2)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
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.

Review: 
A Torch Against the Night starts straight after where the first book left off. It has Elias and Laia finishing their escape from Blackcliff and heading to Kauf to rescue her brother from prison. Meanwhile we now have Helene’s perspective as she has been set on the mission to hunt down Elias. 

One thing I must note that I really enjoyed about this book was how much Elias and Laia time we had. Unlike the previous book, these two had far more scenes together. So that’s, a positive. 

I have to say I didn’t enjoy this book anywhere near as I loved the first one. This one was quite slow and repetitive. It was starting to lose my attention, whereas I couldn’t put down the first book. I feel this book though is more of a filler book for the next one. It’s just to get the plot rolling for book 3. So I still have hope that book 3 will be better. 

Overall, I am giving the book 4 stars. It was close to getting 3 stars at times but I think the ending really helped turn that around. I was drawn back into the story at that point. I’m still looking forward to Reaper at the Gate.

*SPOILERS*

I think the main thing that caused me to not like this book as much as the previous was that some scenes felt like they were dragging. For example, Elias and his poisoning. Elias is poisoned quite early on in the book by his mother the Commandant. The fact that he is slowly dying is dragged on throughout the whole of the book. He was giving 6 months to live and suffers from traumas and seizures constantly. I understand it was part of the storyline to get his character to take the role he gets at the end of the book. However, I just got bored of him being useless.

Another thing I hated with the Elias storyline was him visiting The Waiting Place. I just didn’t find those scenes interesting and were just filling space in the book. I’d rather just have cut them all out if we could but that wouldn’t have solved Elias coming back from the dead.

Something I enjoyed in this book was Laia exploring her invisibility magic. Laia was able to teach herself to use it on demand and it's starting to play a big role in the book. I suspect this magical ability to become more and more useful as the series continues. 

I will also say that I also enjoyed the appearance of Cook again. I thought after book 1 we wouldn’t see anymore Cook but then we do. Cook is trying to protect Laia by communicating with Helene where Elias is on the exchange of Laia being safe. Cook seems a bit wild in this book compared to the last. As she climbs buildings and leaves odd riddles. Although she is still demanding. 

In this book, Elias and Keenan finally meet. It’s interesting to see Laia’s love interests collide. I really love how much they hate each other. If it isn’t already obvious, Elias has always been my pick for Laia. Therefore, I’m loving the Keenan hate. 

Another character I didn’t expect to return from but should have was Afya Ara-nur. She had a very minor scene in the first book where she owed Elias a favour. Now Afya needs to pay up by helping them get to Kauf. Her minor role has become an almost major role. She is quite an interesting character.

A whole new character we got to finally meet was Elias’ adoptive mother, Mamie Rila. We have heard of her but haven’t got to really meet her until this point. Mamie is asked by Afya to help with Elias and Laia’s escape to Kauf. We can see how Mamie is such a caring person and is willing to sacrifice anything for her adopted so or her tribe. She’s a very inspiring character.

The most devastating scene was when Izzy was killed. She was my favourite character. I do admit it made the story more interesting and helped with the rating of the book. As the timing couldn’t have been better as Izzy was happy and she was developing a love interest. But it doesn’t mean I’m not really sad about it. I did get cheered up to see her as a ghost talking to Elias about getting closure. That gave me closure as I believed it was intended to do. 

One scene that really disappointed me and wished didn’t happen was when Laia sleeps with Keenan. I was disappointed before we found out more about Keenan but then got further disappointed after that stuff (more on that later). I just don’t think they are a good match and the first time should have been with Elias.

Now onto the Keenan stuff. Laia gave Keenan her armlet that she always touches. She shouldn’t have done that it was all she had left from her parents and he’s a snake that deserves nothing. After she does this is when we learn the truth about Keenan. Keenan doesn’t exist; he is actually the Nightbringer. Who was there to manipulate Laia to give him the armlet. This just made everything Laia did so much worse. But I’m glad she has the full availability now to pursue Elias. 

However, there is one big issue. Elias is now The Soul Catcher. This was the deal he had to make in order to live and save Darin. This means he can’t just live a normal mortal life anymore. The book ends with him, Laia and Darin in a cabin. Anytime Laia and Elias try something the forest gets mad and they have to stop. So the frustration of their relationship continues… for now. 

A scene I thought really spiced things up to get it to the 4 star rating was Helene’s family being executed right in front of her face and her sister Livia being forced to marry Marcus. It just took Helene’s storyline in a whole new interesting direction for the next book.


Harper is set to spy on Helene while she pursues Elias. Harper I quite like as a character, I realised he was involved deeper than just as a spy quite early on in the book. I assumed it was because he fancied Helene. But it turns out he was trying to get to know Elias through Helene, as he is half brother. Again this is something I look forward to more in the next book.

Quote: 

'You are a torch against the night—if you dare to let yourself burn.'

- Cain, A Torch Against the Night

Rating: 4 runes out of 5

written by Lauren

A Torch Against the Night (Ember Quartet, book 2)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
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.

Review: 
I feel in a way that this book was a let down compared to An Ember in the Ashes. I wasn't so into this one compared to the first but I still think that the story is worth the read for sure.

This whole book is about Helene hunting down Elias and Elias's journey with Laia to save her brother. This is the part that dragged the book down to 4 stars, I just felt the journey to the prison was so long winded and that it really could have been cut shorter. 

I understand that there were key moments throughout this journey but there should have just been less in between bits, if that makes sense. In a way I felt events were just repeating themselves and I'm sure if I skipped a few chapters, I really wouldn't have missed much.

Throughout this book I feel Helene is discovering more about herself and what she thinks is the best but then she also discovers her weakness as a mask as the Emperor is using it a lot and so is the Commandment. Overall, I think Helene is quite a strong character and I really enjoyed reading her point of view of the story because you could pinpoint when she started to believe in herself so others would actually take her seriously. 

Laia also developed a hell of lot throughout this book, we discover more about her ability of disappearing. We also learn more about her feelings towards other characters and their consequences. I think Laia is also quite a strong character but she just seems to do everything on impulse and doesn't really think of the next step.

The main part when they get closer to the prisoner and actually inside the prison is really well described and I liked this part of the book, because obviously this is where most of the action happened. I feel like the description of this scene was quite accurate and allowed a full picture in my head with how each of the scenes played out. I also liked how certain thing started to play out and started to be uncover different little things about certain characters. Which means that's the third book is going to be pretty awesome because loads of things have been uncovered.

I'd definitely recommend this series if you love adventure, friendships and twists.

Favourite Character: Helene

Read: 20/01/20 - 20/03/20

4 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

A Torch Against the Night (Ember Quartet, book 2)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
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.

Review: 
I feel in a way that this book was a let down compared to An Ember in the Ashes. I wasn't so into this one compared to the first but I still think that the story is worth the read for sure.

This whole book is about Helene hunting down Elias and Elias's journey with Laia to save her brother. This is the part that dragged the book down to 4 stars, I just felt the journey to the prison was so long winded and that it really could have been cut shorter. 

I understand that there were key moments throughout this journey but there should have just been less in between bits, if that makes sense. In a way I felt events were just repeating themselves and I'm sure if I skipped a few chapters, I really wouldn't have missed much.

Throughout this book I feel Helene is discovering more about herself and what she thinks is the best but then she also discovers her weakness as a mask as the Emperor is using it a lot and so is the Commandment. Overall, I think Helene is quite a strong character and I really enjoyed reading her point of view of the story because you could pinpoint when she started to believe in herself so others would actually take her seriously. 

Laia also developed a hell of lot throughout this book, we discover more about her ability of disappearing. We also learn more about her feelings towards other characters and their consequences. I think Laia is also quite a strong character but she just seems to do everything on impulse and doesn't really think of the next step.

The main part when they get closer to the prisoner and actually inside the prison is really well described and I liked this part of the book, because obviously this is where most of the action happened. I feel like the description of this scene was quite accurate and allowed a full picture in my head with how each of the scenes played out. I also liked how certain thing started to play out and started to be uncover different little things about certain characters. Which means that's the third book is going to be pretty awesome because loads of things have been uncovered.

I'd definitely recommend this series if you love adventure, friendships and twists.

Favourite Character: Helene

Read: 20/01/20 - 20/03/20

4 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, book 1)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: 
This isn't the first time that I've read this book but the first time I read it was back in 2016, I can't really remember how I felt about the book back then apart from that I know I enjoyed it, so when Lauren said she was going to start this series, I decided I was going to buddy read them with her. Obviously, Lauren's pace is a lot slower than mine, but I didn't struggle too much, we both finished it on the same day which is all that matters.

So onto the actual review, this story is told in two points of perspective, there is a girl who loses all of her family apart from her brother and becomes a slave to try and get him back. Then there is a boy who is a mask who wants freedom.

I will firstly talk about Laia who is the girl, I feel sorry for her that she has lost her mother, father and sister to the rebellion, and then lost her grandparents and brother to the masks. The masks are an army to an extent, they protect the kingdom and act as soldiers and protect people from crimes that are happening in their town. Laia goes through quite a difficult journey, which involves lies, mistrust, friendship, pain, and love. There are a few scenes that could be classed as a trigger as we get further in the book; of torture and rape. 

I loved her perspective of the story as you could see how difficult her life had become since her brother was kidnapped, but you could also see her character develop and how she got use to hiding things from certain people. I also liked that she managed to persuade a few people to become her friends, and she was definitely a rule breaker when trying to enjoy her imprisoned life.

Elias on the other hand, was a strong character but then at times he was weak. He wanted to escape his mother and the empire he was working for because he didn't want to control people, he didn't want the power. This was brought to our attention when the trials began. I won't go into too much detail but when the trials began you started to see Elias' true colours and feelings towards certain people. 

I feel throughout the full book Elias also had a fair amount of character development, at first you seen that he was a strong character, then you got the insight of him and he became weak but then towards the end you seen his strong character again. I loved how at times he stuck up for what he believed was right, no matter what the consequences were and he ensured that he protected the ones that he loved.

The overall story was really good, it developed a bit but not much. However, there was a lot of detail that went into it that so it didn't feel like you were lacking the action. It was fast paced for sure and at times it really was a struggle to put the book down which made even better. Hence why I never read it for a few days so I could bulk read chapters.

This book is definitely highly recommended by myself; as it contained a lot of mystery, thriller, adventure, and a touch of hidden romance. I just generally thought that this book was well wrote and kept you interested a long the way I really cannot wait to start book 2.

Favourite Character: Elias

Read: 16/11/19 - 13/12/19

5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 2: A Torch Against the Night.

An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, book 1)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: 
This isn't the first time that I've read this book but the first time I read it was back in 2016, I can't really remember how I felt about the book back then apart from that I know I enjoyed it, so when Lauren said she was going to start this series, I decided I was going to buddy read them with her. Obviously, Lauren's pace is a lot slower than mine, but I didn't struggle too much, we both finished it on the same day which is all that matters.

So onto the actual review, this story is told in two points of perspective, there is a girl who loses all of her family apart from her brother and becomes a slave to try and get him back. Then there is a boy who is a mask who wants freedom.

I will firstly talk about Laia who is the girl, I feel sorry for her that she has lost her mother, father and sister to the rebellion, and then lost her grandparents and brother to the masks. The masks are an army to an extent, they protect the kingdom and act as soldiers and protect people from crimes that are happening in their town. Laia goes through quite a difficult journey, which involves lies, mistrust, friendship, pain, and love. There are a few scenes that could be classed as a trigger as we get further in the book; of torture and rape. 

I loved her perspective of the story as you could see how difficult her life had become since her brother was kidnapped, but you could also see her character develop and how she got use to hiding things from certain people. I also liked that she managed to persuade a few people to become her friends, and she was definitely a rule breaker when trying to enjoy her imprisoned life.

Elias on the other hand, was a strong character but then at times he was weak. He wanted to escape his mother and the empire he was working for because he didn't want to control people, he didn't want the power. This was brought to our attention when the trials began. I won't go into too much detail but when the trials began you started to see Elias' true colours and feelings towards certain people. 

I feel throughout the full book Elias also had a fair amount of character development, at first you seen that he was a strong character, then you got the insight of him and he became weak but then towards the end you seen his strong character again. I loved how at times he stuck up for what he believed was right, no matter what the consequences were and he ensured that he protected the ones that he loved.

The overall story was really good, it developed a bit but not much. However, there was a lot of detail that went into it that so it didn't feel like you were lacking the action. It was fast paced for sure and at times it really was a struggle to put the book down which made even better. Hence why I never read it for a few days so I could bulk read chapters.

This book is definitely highly recommended by myself; as it contained a lot of mystery, thriller, adventure, and a touch of hidden romance. I just generally thought that this book was well wrote and kept you interested a long the way I really cannot wait to start book 2.

Favourite Character: Elias

Read: 16/11/19 - 13/12/19

5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of Book 2: A Torch Against the Night.

An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, book 1)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: 
Just gonna start out by saying that I loved this book! It feels like a really long time since I loved a book this much. I just really hope I love the rest of the series so I can put in my top 10 favourite book series. At the moment, based on book 1, I’d make this my second favourite series.

Now that I got that hype out of the way, it’s time to talk about the actual book. The book is split into 3 parts and each chapter is Laia or Elias perspective. Chapters for the most part were really nice lengths, there was only a handful of long ones. I liked how it was set out and how the chapters flowed nicely and linked as we continuously swapped perspectives. 

I was hooked from chapter one. There was just constantly something interesting going on. Whether it was death, fighting, sneaking or developing love interests. It was just all enjoyable. 

The book opens with Laia talking about her family, she lived with her brother and grandparents. As her parents are dead. Then her house gets invaded by military operatives known as Masks, due to the silver mask they wear on their face. They kill her grandparents and capture her brother for reasons unknown to Laia at the time. They set the house alight, forcing Laia to run. She tries to find the resistance in order for them to help her get her brother back and they agree as long as she spies on the woman known as the Commandant.

A dangerous mission, with the most vile woman known to mankind. 

Meanwhile, Elias is trying to escape Blackcliff the training grounds for masks. Elias is the commandant son and he doesn’t want to be a mask and in the beginning of the book he plans an escape. However, before he succeeds a holy creature known as an Augur tells him to stay and to take part in the trials to become Emperor. 

As those stories develop and eventually connect, it makes one of the best books I’ve ever read. I really do just love this book.

*SPOILERS*

A lot happens in this book but I don’t want to spoil it too much, I think everyone should read it. But I am gonna discuss some stand out moments.

The first being the Commandant explaining to Elias why she doesn’t love him and wants him dead. To hear your mother say such things must be the hardest thing, I could not imagine it. However, she is slightly less cruel than originally believed. Elias believed he was abandoned in the desert left for dead. That was her original plan but she actually gave him to someone to take care of him. Looks like she has a little heart somewhere. 

For some reason, I quite enjoyed Helene’s jealousy of Laia. Even though Elias and Laia aren’t a couple and at the most they’ve done is kiss. Helene is so obviously upset by it and Elias is just so oblivious to the obvious behavior she portrays. It takes one of the other characters to explain it to him. I enjoyed that. 

I did call that one of the trials would be Helene vs Elias. But I also guessed there would be a way out of it for both of them. I just wasn’t sure as to how and I really appreciated how smart this was done. 

If it is not obvious by my clear love for this book, I am rating it 5 stars. I highly recommend and I hope A Torch Against the Night is just as good.

Quote: 

'The field of battle is my temple. The swordpoint is my priest. The dance of death is my prayer. The killing blow is my release.'

- Elias Veturius, An Ember in the Ashes

Rating: 5 runes out of 5

written by Lauren

Check out my review of Book 2: A Torch Against the Night.

An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, book 1)

By Sabaa Tahir

Blurb: 
Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Review: 
Just gonna start out by saying that I loved this book! It feels like a really long time since I loved a book this much. I just really hope I love the rest of the series so I can put in my top 10 favourite book series. At the moment, based on book 1, I’d make this my second favourite series.

Now that I got that hype out of the way, it’s time to talk about the actual book. The book is split into 3 parts and each chapter is Laia or Elias perspective. Chapters for the most part were really nice lengths, there was only a handful of long ones. I liked how it was set out and how the chapters flowed nicely and linked as we continuously swapped perspectives. 

I was hooked from chapter one. There was just constantly something interesting going on. Whether it was death, fighting, sneaking or developing love interests. It was just all enjoyable. 

The book opens with Laia talking about her family, she lived with her brother and grandparents. As her parents are dead. Then her house gets invaded by military operatives known as Masks, due to the silver mask they wear on their face. They kill her grandparents and capture her brother for reasons unknown to Laia at the time. They set the house alight, forcing Laia to run. She tries to find the resistance in order for them to help her get her brother back and they agree as long as she spies on the woman known as the Commandant.

A dangerous mission, with the most vile woman known to mankind. 

Meanwhile, Elias is trying to escape Blackcliff the training grounds for masks. Elias is the commandant son and he doesn’t want to be a mask and in the beginning of the book he plans an escape. However, before he succeeds a holy creature known as an Augur tells him to stay and to take part in the trials to become Emperor. 

As those stories develop and eventually connect, it makes one of the best books I’ve ever read. I really do just love this book.

*SPOILERS*

A lot happens in this book but I don’t want to spoil it too much, I think everyone should read it. But I am gonna discuss some stand out moments.

The first being the Commandant explaining to Elias why she doesn’t love him and wants him dead. To hear your mother say such things must be the hardest thing, I could not imagine it. However, she is slightly less cruel than originally believed. Elias believed he was abandoned in the desert left for dead. That was her original plan but she actually gave him to someone to take care of him. Looks like she has a little heart somewhere. 

For some reason, I quite enjoyed Helene’s jealousy of Laia. Even though Elias and Laia aren’t a couple and at the most they’ve done is kiss. Helene is so obviously upset by it and Elias is just so oblivious to the obvious behavior she portrays. It takes one of the other characters to explain it to him. I enjoyed that. 

I did call that one of the trials would be Helene vs Elias. But I also guessed there would be a way out of it for both of them. I just wasn’t sure as to how and I really appreciated how smart this was done. 

If it is not obvious by my clear love for this book, I am rating it 5 stars. I highly recommend and I hope A Torch Against the Night is just as good.

Quote: 

'The field of battle is my temple. The swordpoint is my priest. The dance of death is my prayer. The killing blow is my release.'

- Elias Veturius, An Ember in the Ashes

Rating: 5 runes out of 5

written by Lauren

Check out my review of Book 2: A Torch Against the Night.