An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My Book Review of An Ember in the Ashes
A new favorite writer!!
Simply put, I loved this book and am scrambling to get the next installment.
I’m a sucker for good opening lines and books that jump right in and catch my interest from the first page. In fact, my TBS is so big that I will often DNF books that don’t grab me right off. At least until I’m in a different mood. Not so with An Ember in the Ashes. This tale grabbed me from the first paragraph and then Never.Once.Let.Go. 400+ pages and I was riveted. There is plenty of action, heartache, and characters struggling with inner and exterior conflict. Some romance, too, the kind that tickles the belly and makes you smile. In the middle of a very dystopian fantasy, that’s saying something.
The first person POV’s jump between Laia, an oppressed girl who poses as a slave to a most dangerous, sadistic military leader in hopes of freeing her captive brother, and Elias, a conflicted, about-to-graduate member of the enemy force that has swept across her land. Their paths are separate yet linked. When they entwine, sparks and danger fly with equal force. The stakes couldn’t be higher for them both, and they were each so fascinating that I couldn’t stop turning pages well into the night.
This one isn’t for the faint of heart, for there are trigger topics of graphic violence, torture, and physical/mental brutality against women (and in general). Think of a mini YA Game of Thrones. Get past that and you’ve got one of my favorite reads of the year, possibly all time. I cared about all the characters, hated the villains, and was intrigued by the world building and the fantasy elements woven throughout. Also, one thing I’m no fan of is when a book series ends on such a cliffhanger that I feel robbed. This was not the case here! The author did a marvelous job of giving readers a full standalone read. I definitely wanted more, and luckily, there sequel is out. (A Torch Against the Night). I’ll be reading it ASAP.
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