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The Torch Trilogy #2
Torchfire
Not yet published
Expected 28 Oct 25Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 22:21:06
5 copies available
U.S. only
Lark fled Northaven with her mother and is seeking safe haven, Nightingale is forced to use her songlight against her people, Piper’s been promoted and Rye has stumbled across an airship, as peace is more fragile than ever. 40,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook.
448 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 28, 2025
15 people are currently reading
3012 people want to read
About the author
Moira Buffini
33 books148 followersMoira Buffini (born 1965) is an English dramatist, director, and actor.
She was born in Carlisle to Irish parents, and studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths. She subsequently trained as an actor at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.
For Jordan, co-written with Anna Reynolds in 1992, she won a Time Out Award for her performance and Writers' Guild Award for Best Fringe play. Her 1997 play Gabriel was performed at Soho theatre, winning the LWT Plays on Stage award. Her 1999 play Silence earned Buffini the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for best English-language play by a woman. Loveplay followed at the RSC in 2001, then Dinner at the National Theatre in 2003 which transferred to the West End and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
Buffini wrote Dying For It, a free adaptation of Nikolai Erdman's classic, The Suicide, for the Almeida in 2007. She followed it with Marianne Dreams, a dance play with choreographer Will Tuckett, based on Catherine Storr's book. Her play for young people, A Vampire Story was performed as part of NT Connections in 2008.
Buffini is said to advocate big, imaginative plays rather than naturalistic soap opera dramas, and is a founder member of the Monsterists, a group of playwrights who promote new writing of large scale work in the British theatre. She has been described by David Greig as a metaphysical playwright. All her plays have been published by Faber.
Buffini is also a prolific screenwriter. In 2010 her film adaptation of Posy Simmon's Tamara Drewe was released followed by her adaptation of Jane Eyre for BBC Films and Ruby Films in 2011. The script appeared on the 2008 Brit List, a film-industry-compiled list of the best unproduced screenplays in British film. It received nine votes, putting it in second place. Buffini also adapted her play A Vampire Story for the screenplay of Neil Jordan's film Byzantium released in 2013.
She took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six for which she wrote a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
- Wikipedia
She was born in Carlisle to Irish parents, and studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths. She subsequently trained as an actor at the Welsh College of Music and Drama.
For Jordan, co-written with Anna Reynolds in 1992, she won a Time Out Award for her performance and Writers' Guild Award for Best Fringe play. Her 1997 play Gabriel was performed at Soho theatre, winning the LWT Plays on Stage award. Her 1999 play Silence earned Buffini the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for best English-language play by a woman. Loveplay followed at the RSC in 2001, then Dinner at the National Theatre in 2003 which transferred to the West End and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
Buffini wrote Dying For It, a free adaptation of Nikolai Erdman's classic, The Suicide, for the Almeida in 2007. She followed it with Marianne Dreams, a dance play with choreographer Will Tuckett, based on Catherine Storr's book. Her play for young people, A Vampire Story was performed as part of NT Connections in 2008.
Buffini is said to advocate big, imaginative plays rather than naturalistic soap opera dramas, and is a founder member of the Monsterists, a group of playwrights who promote new writing of large scale work in the British theatre. She has been described by David Greig as a metaphysical playwright. All her plays have been published by Faber.
Buffini is also a prolific screenwriter. In 2010 her film adaptation of Posy Simmon's Tamara Drewe was released followed by her adaptation of Jane Eyre for BBC Films and Ruby Films in 2011. The script appeared on the 2008 Brit List, a film-industry-compiled list of the best unproduced screenplays in British film. It received nine votes, putting it in second place. Buffini also adapted her play A Vampire Story for the screenplay of Neil Jordan's film Byzantium released in 2013.
She took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six for which she wrote a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
August 14, 2025
No second book curse here !!! Loved this book so much I sent a slightly unhinged email to Faber at 1AM as soon as I finished because I just needed them to know how good it is
As is quite typical in second fantasy/sci-fi books, the characters very much start in one place and finish where they need to be for book three, but I find so often with those you can tell the author chose where they needed to be and just winged how they’d get there, filler books, you know the ones, this is not that. 550 pages felt hefty for a YA dystopia, but she really uses every page. There is so much development, both character and plot, and it’s desperately immersive.
I find a lot of YA really insults its readers by being too simplistic and over-explaining everything in either speech or exposition (“OHHH so if XXXX does XXXX, XXX will happen?!"), and it’s so refreshing to read a book where the author allows its reader to simply be absorbed and come along for the journey. The only character who does this a little is Swan, and there’s a very good reason for that.
There are so many moving parts and several main POVs in this book, keeping them all evenly paced and engaging throughout is quite a feat. I don’t usually enjoy to compare (even generally) to other books/authors during reviews but this is truly one of those reads that makes you realise writing is a craft, a skill, and Moira does it immaculately.
I can tell she’s come from writing screenplays, not in one of those ‘you can tell this was written to try and get a tv show’ ways, but in a ‘I need to see this on my screen immediately because it’s so vivid and utterly immersive’ ways. I could really picture everything that was happening, even though thinking back the book is actually probably lighter on setting imagery than you’d expect.
I sobbed at a trans coming out/acceptance moment (there are many queer awakenings in this series), I was invested for all the characters; you know you’re into it when you sit up when one of them’s in danger. I felt the slow build of everything moving together but it just made me desperate to know more, when so often these second books feel so dragged out and unfleshed.
I cried a little on finishing knowing she’s not even started the third book yet.
Book one is already out, and book two comes in August, so it’s a perfect time to pick up the series.
A side note that I was a little worried before starting book one with the “one spark can start a blaze” tagline on book two that this would be a Hunger Games rip off, and I’m very pleased to report that besides being dystopia and therefore obviously common traits with the genre (like tyrannical governments) their stories are nothing alike. A second side note that while they are very different books and Moira is not Black so please don’t think I’m comparing them thematically, but the last YA book to make me feel this way was Legendborn.
4.5⭐️ - I have a couple of very minor qualms but overall, wow
As is quite typical in second fantasy/sci-fi books, the characters very much start in one place and finish where they need to be for book three, but I find so often with those you can tell the author chose where they needed to be and just winged how they’d get there, filler books, you know the ones, this is not that. 550 pages felt hefty for a YA dystopia, but she really uses every page. There is so much development, both character and plot, and it’s desperately immersive.
I find a lot of YA really insults its readers by being too simplistic and over-explaining everything in either speech or exposition (“OHHH so if XXXX does XXXX, XXX will happen?!"), and it’s so refreshing to read a book where the author allows its reader to simply be absorbed and come along for the journey. The only character who does this a little is Swan, and there’s a very good reason for that.
There are so many moving parts and several main POVs in this book, keeping them all evenly paced and engaging throughout is quite a feat. I don’t usually enjoy to compare (even generally) to other books/authors during reviews but this is truly one of those reads that makes you realise writing is a craft, a skill, and Moira does it immaculately.
I can tell she’s come from writing screenplays, not in one of those ‘you can tell this was written to try and get a tv show’ ways, but in a ‘I need to see this on my screen immediately because it’s so vivid and utterly immersive’ ways. I could really picture everything that was happening, even though thinking back the book is actually probably lighter on setting imagery than you’d expect.
I sobbed at a trans coming out/acceptance moment (there are many queer awakenings in this series), I was invested for all the characters; you know you’re into it when you sit up when one of them’s in danger. I felt the slow build of everything moving together but it just made me desperate to know more, when so often these second books feel so dragged out and unfleshed.
I cried a little on finishing knowing she’s not even started the third book yet.
Book one is already out, and book two comes in August, so it’s a perfect time to pick up the series.
A side note that I was a little worried before starting book one with the “one spark can start a blaze” tagline on book two that this would be a Hunger Games rip off, and I’m very pleased to report that besides being dystopia and therefore obviously common traits with the genre (like tyrannical governments) their stories are nothing alike. A second side note that while they are very different books and Moira is not Black so please don’t think I’m comparing them thematically, but the last YA book to make me feel this way was Legendborn.
4.5⭐️ - I have a couple of very minor qualms but overall, wow
August 9, 2025
EDIT: Yup. My suspicions were correct. It's 6 stars.
___________________________________________________________
Well, I'm 50% of the way through, and I already know this is going to be a 5-star (dare I say 6-star?) read. I'll drop my thoughts up to this point below, and I'll plan to update with my final thoughts upon completion. I'll also hold my star rating until the end, but I. HAVE. THINGS. TO. SAY.
Torchfire drops us right into the fray where Songlight left us off. We learn that long ago, the Great Extinction splintered humanity, setting mankind on two distinct yet frighteningly similar evolutionary tracks: one grows into their Songlight/"truevoice", the other tries in vain to grow away from it. Most harrowing is that despite this extinction-induced crossroads, both grandfather and nurture systems of oppression in their own right; a harsh yet somber reminder that oppression is a specter that walks near to the shadow of civilization… Especially when said civilization has failed to learn from the mistakes of its past. Those timeless, perennial maxims about how “history is a flat circle” and how “🎵the history book on the shelf is always repeating itself🎵” ring ever true.
There are so many things to love about this series, but I’ve managed to identify a few reasons why this series is, in a word, just so dang good:
* Buffini does a lot of things in this series, and she manages to do all of it astonishingly well. You can see where she draws inspiration from - there are evident traces of The Handmaid’s Tale, Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, just to name a few - and she extracts their central themes and blends them together to create a refreshingly provocative story. And she does a DAMN GOOD job of it, might I add.
* Multi-POV stories often suffer from the fatal flaw wherein one or two characters are irksome, forgettable, or have a narrative voice that is less preferable to the others. This is not true for Songlight - there is no single POV that I dread to read, there are no groans to be heard when I see which name pops up next at the start of each new chapter. I sink deep into every character’s unique story with each chapter, and I still hold excitement for where the others are going to go next. I was so absorbed in each character's journey that I didn't feel like I had to rush to get back to a more interesting POV or to a subplot that I cared more about. They were all interesting!
* Each character is imperfect. Some commit some downright horrific acts. And yet my heart aches for each and every one of these characters, even if they’re more than a few backward steps into the territory of "morally grey." Systems of oppression don’t create identical victims. Some build up their armor, and others sharpen their blades. Others are cut down. This book is a shining reminder that survival is worn differently by everyone, and that oppression doesn't create "bad people," but rather, places vulnerable people into situations where they have to deal with the cards they've been dealt in the best way they know how.
* The plot is always moving. Buffini isn’t loading you up on useless filler. Every plot beat is vital to driving the story forward. We’re constantly hurtling towards the destination, even if we’re out of breath the entire ride (and boy, am I gasping).
Buffini has never heard of second book syndrome. She is immune to it, in fact.
___________________________________________________________
Well, I'm 50% of the way through, and I already know this is going to be a 5-star (dare I say 6-star?) read. I'll drop my thoughts up to this point below, and I'll plan to update with my final thoughts upon completion. I'll also hold my star rating until the end, but I. HAVE. THINGS. TO. SAY.
Torchfire drops us right into the fray where Songlight left us off. We learn that long ago, the Great Extinction splintered humanity, setting mankind on two distinct yet frighteningly similar evolutionary tracks: one grows into their Songlight/"truevoice", the other tries in vain to grow away from it. Most harrowing is that despite this extinction-induced crossroads, both grandfather and nurture systems of oppression in their own right; a harsh yet somber reminder that oppression is a specter that walks near to the shadow of civilization… Especially when said civilization has failed to learn from the mistakes of its past. Those timeless, perennial maxims about how “history is a flat circle” and how “🎵the history book on the shelf is always repeating itself🎵” ring ever true.
There are so many things to love about this series, but I’ve managed to identify a few reasons why this series is, in a word, just so dang good:
* Buffini does a lot of things in this series, and she manages to do all of it astonishingly well. You can see where she draws inspiration from - there are evident traces of The Handmaid’s Tale, Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, just to name a few - and she extracts their central themes and blends them together to create a refreshingly provocative story. And she does a DAMN GOOD job of it, might I add.
* Multi-POV stories often suffer from the fatal flaw wherein one or two characters are irksome, forgettable, or have a narrative voice that is less preferable to the others. This is not true for Songlight - there is no single POV that I dread to read, there are no groans to be heard when I see which name pops up next at the start of each new chapter. I sink deep into every character’s unique story with each chapter, and I still hold excitement for where the others are going to go next. I was so absorbed in each character's journey that I didn't feel like I had to rush to get back to a more interesting POV or to a subplot that I cared more about. They were all interesting!
* Each character is imperfect. Some commit some downright horrific acts. And yet my heart aches for each and every one of these characters, even if they’re more than a few backward steps into the territory of "morally grey." Systems of oppression don’t create identical victims. Some build up their armor, and others sharpen their blades. Others are cut down. This book is a shining reminder that survival is worn differently by everyone, and that oppression doesn't create "bad people," but rather, places vulnerable people into situations where they have to deal with the cards they've been dealt in the best way they know how.
* The plot is always moving. Buffini isn’t loading you up on useless filler. Every plot beat is vital to driving the story forward. We’re constantly hurtling towards the destination, even if we’re out of breath the entire ride (and boy, am I gasping).
Buffini has never heard of second book syndrome. She is immune to it, in fact.
August 9, 2025
my heart hurts finishing this, Rye Tern I am your number one fan
August 27, 2025
the last few chapters omg, moira knows how to keep you hooked in!! Such complex characters, can’t wait for book 3
September 12, 2025
I searched for this for a while on NetGalley and couldn't find it for some reason. I gave it one last shot and, finally, it popped up for me! I was so excited because I loved Songlight, and it ended on such a cliffhanger. I would periodically think about that book and want to know what happens next.
Torchfire did not disappoint. I was so happy to be back with these characters and to find out what happens to them . At first, I was disappointed to be introduced to a new character when I wanted my characters, but I see the importance of the new perspective, Petra's, to the main events of the novel. Buffini does such a great job of weaving all the points-of-view together and going to the right person at the right time to build suspense and keep the story moving, particularly at the end of the book.
Everything unfolds so well in this second book of the trilogy. The conflicts build, some get resolved, and some deepen. The relationships between the characters develop, tragically in some cases, and beautifully in others. I also love Wren, another new character introduced into the book though one who doesn't have a first-person perspective. My feelings of loathing for some characters has grown, and some events are justified and feel satisfying while others frustrate me and make me want to rant and rave.
What I think Buffini does best, and that's saying a lot, is showing us that it doesn't really matter who is in charge. The people from Sealand mirror the people from Brightland, reverse images of each other, one society favoring the elite "eximians," i.e. Torches, and the other subduing the Torches out of fear and having the "sapiens" dominate society. Both are shown to be detrimental and humiliating, and both lead to conflict, subdued or otherwise. The Aylish are the only ones who get it right, but they're also easy to dehumanize and villainize. The political and social/cultural conflicts escalate.
The world building is really strong in this story, and we get more information about what is impending. The last 20-30 pages were heart-stopping. I barely breathed as I read the last 10 pages, gulping down the text to see what would happen next. The ending is so good. I really can't wait for book three. I need to know what happens and to see how Buffini will resolve all these threads. There is still so much that needs to happen, but this story was masterful in my mind. I loved it.
I strongly recommend this series! It's well-written, heartbreaking, enlightening, interesting, thought-provoking, etc. etc. I can't say enough good about it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-version of the book!
Torchfire did not disappoint. I was so happy to be back with these characters and to find out what happens to them . At first, I was disappointed to be introduced to a new character when I wanted my characters, but I see the importance of the new perspective, Petra's, to the main events of the novel. Buffini does such a great job of weaving all the points-of-view together and going to the right person at the right time to build suspense and keep the story moving, particularly at the end of the book.
Everything unfolds so well in this second book of the trilogy. The conflicts build, some get resolved, and some deepen. The relationships between the characters develop, tragically in some cases, and beautifully in others. I also love Wren, another new character introduced into the book though one who doesn't have a first-person perspective. My feelings of loathing for some characters has grown, and some events are justified and feel satisfying while others frustrate me and make me want to rant and rave.
What I think Buffini does best, and that's saying a lot, is showing us that it doesn't really matter who is in charge. The people from Sealand mirror the people from Brightland, reverse images of each other, one society favoring the elite "eximians," i.e. Torches, and the other subduing the Torches out of fear and having the "sapiens" dominate society. Both are shown to be detrimental and humiliating, and both lead to conflict, subdued or otherwise. The Aylish are the only ones who get it right, but they're also easy to dehumanize and villainize. The political and social/cultural conflicts escalate.
The world building is really strong in this story, and we get more information about what is impending. The last 20-30 pages were heart-stopping. I barely breathed as I read the last 10 pages, gulping down the text to see what would happen next. The ending is so good. I really can't wait for book three. I need to know what happens and to see how Buffini will resolve all these threads. There is still so much that needs to happen, but this story was masterful in my mind. I loved it.
I strongly recommend this series! It's well-written, heartbreaking, enlightening, interesting, thought-provoking, etc. etc. I can't say enough good about it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-version of the book!
August 17, 2025
Having read and loved Songlight last year, I was excited to read this one. It didn't disappoint!
I loved this as much as book 1. It was a great continuation from the first book. I've been waiting to carry on reading Elsa's story. I thought the pacing was spot on. I loved finding out what happens next and the new characters added. Great world-building.
I'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to YA. I read book one because of the dystopian element and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much as it wasn't what I initially thought it was going to be. This sequel is a fab addition to the series.
You need to read the first.
Thank you Faber for my invite to read this ARC.
I loved this as much as book 1. It was a great continuation from the first book. I've been waiting to carry on reading Elsa's story. I thought the pacing was spot on. I loved finding out what happens next and the new characters added. Great world-building.
I'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to YA. I read book one because of the dystopian element and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much as it wasn't what I initially thought it was going to be. This sequel is a fab addition to the series.
You need to read the first.
Thank you Faber for my invite to read this ARC.
March 7, 2025
More more more!! Can’t get enough of this series.
April 18, 2025
Oh myyyy god. Not a single lull in 550 pages, I was gripped! Thank you Bridie for lending me your advance copy this was so awesome.
August 16, 2025
I was worried about how this book would work. Pacing wise, second books fall short and this didn't have that problem. There's a lot of people, new and old to keep track of, but I came to love the different POVs.
Piper was my favourite, he just had a great journey in this, but Wren was a close second.
I do have to say if any more bird names crop up I will scream. Because it's getting confusing for my heatwave scrambled brains. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
Piper was my favourite, he just had a great journey in this, but Wren was a close second.
I do have to say if any more bird names crop up I will scream. Because it's getting confusing for my heatwave scrambled brains. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
May 24, 2025
I loved Songlight so was thrilled to have the chance to read Torchfire thanks to NetGalley and Faber.
The writing, the pace, the ideas, the energy are all on a par with Songlight making this a gripping read - and leaving me wanting to read the third instalment as soon as I can.
However, and the fault may be mine (it is after all 9 months since I read Songlight, and I haven't had an agile teenage brain for a long while now!) but I found it much harder to keep track of the different threads, locations and characters in this book. I think it would benefit from some kind of a recap at the beginning - or perhaps a list of characters (with both their names!) and how they are linked. I like the way they all have bird names but at times I did get confused as to which was which, and when some characters only refer to others by their non-bird name, well I just struggled! A sort of cheat sheet for the terminology used by the different people groups, and a list of the places and what they are to each people group as well would help. The map is nice but doesn't really remind me who lives in Reem for example. And, whilst I know it is part of the story and of the characters themselves, but the way in which e.g. Swan is both good and bad, is another element that just added to the slight muddle I felt.
All that aside, I was swept along with the various different elements of the story and each one is exciting in its own right - I am looking forward to seeing how they all tie together in the end.
Grateful to NetGalley and Faber. for the e-ARC.
The writing, the pace, the ideas, the energy are all on a par with Songlight making this a gripping read - and leaving me wanting to read the third instalment as soon as I can.
However, and the fault may be mine (it is after all 9 months since I read Songlight, and I haven't had an agile teenage brain for a long while now!) but I found it much harder to keep track of the different threads, locations and characters in this book. I think it would benefit from some kind of a recap at the beginning - or perhaps a list of characters (with both their names!) and how they are linked. I like the way they all have bird names but at times I did get confused as to which was which, and when some characters only refer to others by their non-bird name, well I just struggled! A sort of cheat sheet for the terminology used by the different people groups, and a list of the places and what they are to each people group as well would help. The map is nice but doesn't really remind me who lives in Reem for example. And, whilst I know it is part of the story and of the characters themselves, but the way in which e.g. Swan is both good and bad, is another element that just added to the slight muddle I felt.
All that aside, I was swept along with the various different elements of the story and each one is exciting in its own right - I am looking forward to seeing how they all tie together in the end.
Grateful to NetGalley and Faber. for the e-ARC.
July 21, 2025
this book series is mega
August 19, 2025
Thank you so much to Faber and Faber, Moira Buffini and NetGalley for sending me an eARC copy of Torchfire for review!
4.5 stars!
Wow oh wow this hit so hard! I enjoyed Songlight but wasn't super invested in the characters (as much as I wanted to be), but I was intrigued enough to want to continue the series, and my gosh Torchfire blew it out of the water for me! Now I'm thinking a reread of Songlight is in order because how did I not love it on first read?? Blasphemy.
Torchfire follows our main characters after the explosive conclusion to Songlight; we watch them as they try to navigate this new world that they've all been thrown into, still with the threats of being persecuted for a gift that many of them have, songlight. Lark, Rye, Nightingale, Swan and Piper are all trying to survive in a world that seems stacked against them. We also have a new POV addition of Petra, who adds a whole different layer to the story and a new perspective. We follow Petra as her people are flying over Brightland and Ayland trying to resettle what they believe is an uninhabited planet, but they soon find out that the planet is not as it seems.
I love dystopian books, and this new YA series is really gearing up to be a new fave; the post-apocalyptic world feels so intriguing and special, especially with the allusions to the Light People and the technologies that came before the era of Songlight. I'd love a deeper dive into the Light People; maybe we'll get that in the third book in the trilogy.
The characters really hooked me in this instalment. I think one of my main gripes with Songlight was the five POVs, some of which felt like they could have been removed to strengthen the more dominant plots. However, in Torchfire, I truly see why those POVs were necessary, and even welcomed the introduction of Petra's POV to strengthen the story as a whole. Each character had their chance to shine, and I really enjoyed reading from all of them; they're all so well developed and so fleshed out. Lark and Nightingale's relationship really had my heart going; I love their friendship so dang much! Swan also really intrigues me; who knows what that girl will do.
The pacing is also amazing; there never feels like a dull moment. I sped through this book in a matter of days and never felt bored while reading, which I did a bit with Songlight. The book was plot driven definitely, but the characters never suffered for it, in fact they endeared themselves to me so much more for having a fast paced plot to keep up with. Some events had me gasping and wanting to throw my tablet across the room, and others had me so tense waiting to see what would happen to the characters.
I think my least favourite part of this is the romance, which I'm sad about! Some of the will-they-won't-they relationships get a little tedious to read about, and I'm cautious about the way things will turn out when certain characters are reunited/meet for the first time. I'm way more into the friendships in this rather than the romance as I said before, but the romantic plot is definitely not the main plotline at all. However, I really enjoy the queer representation in this series; the world is very much not queer-normative, but it's still lovely to see the different aspects of queerness present in some of our characters.
Overall I really enjoyed Torchfire, it was a stunning sequel that didn't suffer from second book syndrome in the slightest. And after that ending I'm so excited to read the third book, whenever that comes out! I hope it'll be soon! If you're a dystopian fan, definitely pick up Songlight first and then get to this one; it's a real gem of a new series!
4.5 stars!
Wow oh wow this hit so hard! I enjoyed Songlight but wasn't super invested in the characters (as much as I wanted to be), but I was intrigued enough to want to continue the series, and my gosh Torchfire blew it out of the water for me! Now I'm thinking a reread of Songlight is in order because how did I not love it on first read?? Blasphemy.
Torchfire follows our main characters after the explosive conclusion to Songlight; we watch them as they try to navigate this new world that they've all been thrown into, still with the threats of being persecuted for a gift that many of them have, songlight. Lark, Rye, Nightingale, Swan and Piper are all trying to survive in a world that seems stacked against them. We also have a new POV addition of Petra, who adds a whole different layer to the story and a new perspective. We follow Petra as her people are flying over Brightland and Ayland trying to resettle what they believe is an uninhabited planet, but they soon find out that the planet is not as it seems.
I love dystopian books, and this new YA series is really gearing up to be a new fave; the post-apocalyptic world feels so intriguing and special, especially with the allusions to the Light People and the technologies that came before the era of Songlight. I'd love a deeper dive into the Light People; maybe we'll get that in the third book in the trilogy.
The characters really hooked me in this instalment. I think one of my main gripes with Songlight was the five POVs, some of which felt like they could have been removed to strengthen the more dominant plots. However, in Torchfire, I truly see why those POVs were necessary, and even welcomed the introduction of Petra's POV to strengthen the story as a whole. Each character had their chance to shine, and I really enjoyed reading from all of them; they're all so well developed and so fleshed out. Lark and Nightingale's relationship really had my heart going; I love their friendship so dang much! Swan also really intrigues me; who knows what that girl will do.
The pacing is also amazing; there never feels like a dull moment. I sped through this book in a matter of days and never felt bored while reading, which I did a bit with Songlight. The book was plot driven definitely, but the characters never suffered for it, in fact they endeared themselves to me so much more for having a fast paced plot to keep up with. Some events had me gasping and wanting to throw my tablet across the room, and others had me so tense waiting to see what would happen to the characters.
I think my least favourite part of this is the romance, which I'm sad about! Some of the will-they-won't-they relationships get a little tedious to read about, and I'm cautious about the way things will turn out when certain characters are reunited/meet for the first time. I'm way more into the friendships in this rather than the romance as I said before, but the romantic plot is definitely not the main plotline at all. However, I really enjoy the queer representation in this series; the world is very much not queer-normative, but it's still lovely to see the different aspects of queerness present in some of our characters.
Overall I really enjoyed Torchfire, it was a stunning sequel that didn't suffer from second book syndrome in the slightest. And after that ending I'm so excited to read the third book, whenever that comes out! I hope it'll be soon! If you're a dystopian fan, definitely pick up Songlight first and then get to this one; it's a real gem of a new series!
June 27, 2025
Wow! The 2nd installment in the Torch trilogy was fast paced, engaging, and heart wrenching. The story picks up immediately following book 1: Lark is on the run with he mom, Heron Mikane, and Kingfisher. Rye has escaped the chrysalid house and is hoping to escape to freedom in Ayland. Piper is still fighting his feelings of betrayal towards his family as well as trying to understand how to accept himself as gay. Nightingale is stuck with Swan playing her "dolly" while she tries to navigate the death of Peregrine and the new dictator Kite. We also get a new perspective from a 3rd party that is neight Brightland or Ayland, "Petra", who is on a scouting voyage from over the seas. This 3rd party brings a LOT more into the picture.
I really am enjoying this series and feel it is great for older YA readers. I would definitely check triggers warnings before you read this, as it deals with some pretty heavy topics. Most of the women in this society are abused in some way and have absolutely no power, which makes it really difficult to read some parts. There are also a lot of LGBTQ characters as well who are suppressed in this society, and they are also fighting for freedom and for the right to be their true selves. I think the author did a great job navigating such heavy topics in a way that could be understood by a younger audience.
I really enjoyed the fast pacing and the multiple point of views constantly switching back and forth made it so I never felt the book was getting stale. As soon as something exciting happens with one character, it's on to the next one, and you're eager to know what's happening with all the perspectives. The one thing I didn't really jive with were the love interests. I'm not a big fan of kingfisher. Without spoilers, I like Rye's love interest, but I felt like there was no chemistry, it happened too sudden and there wasn't a second for any feelings to grow between them. I'm not really sure if Nightingale is supposed to have a love interest - it keeps being hinted at but I really don't think she has feelings for anyone yet. And Piper and his love interest seem too volatile together- I think they're just too different. The one couple I ship is Heron and Curl!!! Other than that, I really enjoyed the 2nd installment in this series and CANNOT WAIT for the final book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
I really am enjoying this series and feel it is great for older YA readers. I would definitely check triggers warnings before you read this, as it deals with some pretty heavy topics. Most of the women in this society are abused in some way and have absolutely no power, which makes it really difficult to read some parts. There are also a lot of LGBTQ characters as well who are suppressed in this society, and they are also fighting for freedom and for the right to be their true selves. I think the author did a great job navigating such heavy topics in a way that could be understood by a younger audience.
I really enjoyed the fast pacing and the multiple point of views constantly switching back and forth made it so I never felt the book was getting stale. As soon as something exciting happens with one character, it's on to the next one, and you're eager to know what's happening with all the perspectives. The one thing I didn't really jive with were the love interests. I'm not a big fan of kingfisher. Without spoilers, I like Rye's love interest, but I felt like there was no chemistry, it happened too sudden and there wasn't a second for any feelings to grow between them. I'm not really sure if Nightingale is supposed to have a love interest - it keeps being hinted at but I really don't think she has feelings for anyone yet. And Piper and his love interest seem too volatile together- I think they're just too different. The one couple I ship is Heron and Curl!!! Other than that, I really enjoyed the 2nd installment in this series and CANNOT WAIT for the final book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
August 15, 2025
There's always a moment before starting a sequel, book or film, where you wonder if it'll have purpose beyond filling the space between the introduction of a world and its narrative conclusion. Often there's new characters or plots added in to fill that space which only serve to mark the passage of time and to fall to the wayside once the large action resumes.
This is not that kind of sequel.
Introducing a new society and characters in this book seemed like a risk and would take away pages from the characters I wanted to hear from. But I forgot what it's like to watch a detailed and purposefully written world to expand. I remember reading Tamora Pierce's Tortal series, The Hunger Games, Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and Neal Shusterman's worlds and becoming engrossed in the unsuspecting depth of their saga. Now, The Torch Trilogy.
There are some fantastic turns and trapdoors in this book, as with the first, and I cannot describe them without giving too much away. It's safe to say the book unties and creates more knots in the tangled web Songlight ended in. But it feels natural without being overly predictable, so its not until I've turned the last page and thought back through both book that I've fully realized just how complicated this world has become.
I may have been spared the wait between Songlight and Torchfire (having read them back to back), but I most definitely have opinions about now waiting for book 3.
Thank you Faber for sharing an ARC of Torchfire through Netgalley and Bookfest
This is not that kind of sequel.
Introducing a new society and characters in this book seemed like a risk and would take away pages from the characters I wanted to hear from. But I forgot what it's like to watch a detailed and purposefully written world to expand. I remember reading Tamora Pierce's Tortal series, The Hunger Games, Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and Neal Shusterman's worlds and becoming engrossed in the unsuspecting depth of their saga. Now, The Torch Trilogy.
There are some fantastic turns and trapdoors in this book, as with the first, and I cannot describe them without giving too much away. It's safe to say the book unties and creates more knots in the tangled web Songlight ended in. But it feels natural without being overly predictable, so its not until I've turned the last page and thought back through both book that I've fully realized just how complicated this world has become.
I may have been spared the wait between Songlight and Torchfire (having read them back to back), but I most definitely have opinions about now waiting for book 3.
Thank you Faber for sharing an ARC of Torchfire through Netgalley and Bookfest
August 8, 2025
3.5 stars
I stand by the fact that this absolutely did not need to be 537 pages. The first third dragged enough that I considered DNFing, but I was so curious as to how the greater political landscape would unfold that I ended up toughing it out. I would say the last third made up for it, overall, but you can’t front load a slow plot otherwise readers will drop like flies.
I think there was a little too much instalove / suspension bridge effect for me (there’s like a love hexagon going on because some people think that other people are dead so they start loving new people). I think the most interesting perspectives here were Petra and Rye because they showed us something totally new rather than just an escalation of the previous book. The other characters made it easy to forget that this is a post-apocalyptic society after the fall of human civilization as we know it.
I think all in all, this book was more honest than its predecessor. It called war crimes war crimes and genocide genocide. It was less “fictional dystopia” and more mirror of reality.
And now it’s time to wait and see how this all ends
{Thank you Storytide for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
I stand by the fact that this absolutely did not need to be 537 pages. The first third dragged enough that I considered DNFing, but I was so curious as to how the greater political landscape would unfold that I ended up toughing it out. I would say the last third made up for it, overall, but you can’t front load a slow plot otherwise readers will drop like flies.
I think there was a little too much instalove / suspension bridge effect for me (there’s like a love hexagon going on because some people think that other people are dead so they start loving new people). I think the most interesting perspectives here were Petra and Rye because they showed us something totally new rather than just an escalation of the previous book. The other characters made it easy to forget that this is a post-apocalyptic society after the fall of human civilization as we know it.
I think all in all, this book was more honest than its predecessor. It called war crimes war crimes and genocide genocide. It was less “fictional dystopia” and more mirror of reality.
And now it’s time to wait and see how this all ends
{Thank you Storytide for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
August 14, 2025
It’s been a long time since I’ve been so excited about a YA Dystopian trilogy. Bit second book in The Torch Trilogy, Torchfire has me excited. Buffini has created a unique dystopian world where people are oppressed for having Songlight (which are basically telepathic skills). However, it is her characters which really make the story sing.
Like its predecessor Songlight, Torchfire is told through many different characters points of view. I feel like it’s easy to get muddled sometimes when there are so many characters with voices in a book. But each character Buffini has created in this series were unique enough that it made it very easy to differentiate between them all. Even with a whole new character being added into the series in the second book (dare I say my new favourite character?)
The differing points of view really help with the pacing of this book. I literally flew through the new narrative and managed to finish the book in just two days, which is really fast for me. There really is something always something thrilling going on in this story and Torchfire easily avoids becoming the stale second book in a series. The book is full of plot twists. Things I didn’t see coming at all. There are literally no boring bits.
Despite the fast pace the book still has a lot of heart. I love the way different characters connect through Songlight. The way the author describes them talking to each other, even over long distances is pure magic. My heart ached for so many of the characters throughout this book.
The story is so well thought out and put together. I loved the way the world is further developed in this novel with the additional characters and more of an explanation of how the world got to be how it is. I truly believe that Buffini has set this trilogy up for a truly epic ending and I cannot wait for the conclusion of this series.
Like its predecessor Songlight, Torchfire is told through many different characters points of view. I feel like it’s easy to get muddled sometimes when there are so many characters with voices in a book. But each character Buffini has created in this series were unique enough that it made it very easy to differentiate between them all. Even with a whole new character being added into the series in the second book (dare I say my new favourite character?)
The differing points of view really help with the pacing of this book. I literally flew through the new narrative and managed to finish the book in just two days, which is really fast for me. There really is something always something thrilling going on in this story and Torchfire easily avoids becoming the stale second book in a series. The book is full of plot twists. Things I didn’t see coming at all. There are literally no boring bits.
Despite the fast pace the book still has a lot of heart. I love the way different characters connect through Songlight. The way the author describes them talking to each other, even over long distances is pure magic. My heart ached for so many of the characters throughout this book.
The story is so well thought out and put together. I loved the way the world is further developed in this novel with the additional characters and more of an explanation of how the world got to be how it is. I truly believe that Buffini has set this trilogy up for a truly epic ending and I cannot wait for the conclusion of this series.
March 25, 2025
I really enjoyed this second book, which did not disappoint!
The characters are still well fleshed-out, and I really enjoyed the new ones (Petra!) and the idea of songlight powers continues to be brilliant (no pun intended... well, maybe a little). Somehow, this book reminded me of the "Matched" trilogy, which I adored, and I loved seeing more of the world unfold.
The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was purely the first person narration, and though I was glad to read the point off views of so many different characters, having them all in the first person was slightly confusing to me and I had to go back to the beginning of the chapters to check who was narrating (but it's because I am not used to read books with 1st person pov).
The characters are still well fleshed-out, and I really enjoyed the new ones (Petra!) and the idea of songlight powers continues to be brilliant (no pun intended... well, maybe a little). Somehow, this book reminded me of the "Matched" trilogy, which I adored, and I loved seeing more of the world unfold.
The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was purely the first person narration, and though I was glad to read the point off views of so many different characters, having them all in the first person was slightly confusing to me and I had to go back to the beginning of the chapters to check who was narrating (but it's because I am not used to read books with 1st person pov).
March 1, 2025
Songlight was my first ARC ever and I struck gold with that one because I loved it! As soon as I saw Torchfire I knew I needed to read it asap..
And wow. This second book leaves me even more hardbroken and curious for the next part of the story. Moira just keeps destroying me! She's created such a broken world with beautiful people who fight for what they believe in. The twists kept coming and..I just need the next book now!
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this arc. This is my honest opinion.
And wow. This second book leaves me even more hardbroken and curious for the next part of the story. Moira just keeps destroying me! She's created such a broken world with beautiful people who fight for what they believe in. The twists kept coming and..I just need the next book now!
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this arc. This is my honest opinion.
August 5, 2025
This is the 2 nd book in the series and wow amazing bits a ya dystopian read and it’s all go from page one. I’m in love with all the characters. Karl, kingfisher, nightingale and Petra. You learn so much about each one that you get so personally connected to them and their lives.
The plot is amazing and again non stop you just fully immerse in their world. The author Moria buffini does amazing at drawing you in. Cannot wait for the final book.
The plot is amazing and again non stop you just fully immerse in their world. The author Moria buffini does amazing at drawing you in. Cannot wait for the final book.
August 3, 2025
Not entirely sure how this is possible but Torchfire is even more beautiful and haunting than Songlight.
The writing destroyed me, gave me hope and made me wish we could all be as accepting as Rye Tern.
Thank you to Faber for an advanced copy.
The writing destroyed me, gave me hope and made me wish we could all be as accepting as Rye Tern.
Thank you to Faber for an advanced copy.
August 7, 2025
wow wow WOW thank you Faber for an early copy!
The first book was 5⭐️ but this is a 6⭐️ read for me!!
I cannot tell you how heavily I am invested with all of these characters. I am rooting for them all and I desperately want things to turn out ok for them.
The relationships between them are complex and beautiful - at times angry and raw, others loving and passionate.
The action never stops - whether it’s murder, betrayal, warfare or scheming, there’s always something to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I honestly do not know how they’re going to get themselves out of this mess and I fear the next book will have me sobbing. I can’t lose any of these people!!!
The world is so well thought out and clever - a true dystopian masterpiece.
THIS is how you write a second book. I cannot wait for the third book, oh my god!!!
The first book was 5⭐️ but this is a 6⭐️ read for me!!
I cannot tell you how heavily I am invested with all of these characters. I am rooting for them all and I desperately want things to turn out ok for them.
The relationships between them are complex and beautiful - at times angry and raw, others loving and passionate.
The action never stops - whether it’s murder, betrayal, warfare or scheming, there’s always something to keep you on the edge of your seat.
I honestly do not know how they’re going to get themselves out of this mess and I fear the next book will have me sobbing. I can’t lose any of these people!!!
The world is so well thought out and clever - a true dystopian masterpiece.
THIS is how you write a second book. I cannot wait for the third book, oh my god!!!
September 18, 2025
4.5! remains one of my fav fantasy series and i’m going to need you all to hop on the bang wagon now!!! i adored how complex the characters have become and the representation in this book warms my little heart. please pick this up before book 3 and we can be in pain together 🫂
April 24, 2025
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC of this incredible book.
Moira Buffini’s Torchfire, the much-anticipated second installment in her dystopian fantasy trilogy, delivers a gripping continuation of the saga that began with a world divided by a powerful force known as "songlight." Buffini masterfully expands her universe, deepening the stakes and introducing new layers of intrigue and conflict.
The novel plunges us back into a fractured world where telepathy—either a blessing or a curse—defines power, allegiance, and survival. Our central characters—Elsa, Nightingale, Piper, and Rye—are each thrown into perilous circumstances. Elsa’s desperate search for refuge, Nightingale’s forced betrayal, Piper’s brutal rise through the Airmen, and Rye’s discovery of a mysterious airship all form riveting narrative threads that intertwine in surprising and satisfying ways.
Buffini's world-building continues to shine, particularly with the introduction of the Sealander Torches—a formidable new threat. The tensions between Brightland, Ayland, and Sealand create a charged political landscape, and the moral questions around the use and suppression of songlight lend the story real weight.
Torchfire is a powerful exploration of power, resistance, and the price of peace. With its rich characters, imaginative lore, and high-stakes drama, this installment raises the bar and sets the stage for what promises to be an explosive finale. A must-read for fans of intelligent, emotionally resonant fantasy.
Moira Buffini’s Torchfire, the much-anticipated second installment in her dystopian fantasy trilogy, delivers a gripping continuation of the saga that began with a world divided by a powerful force known as "songlight." Buffini masterfully expands her universe, deepening the stakes and introducing new layers of intrigue and conflict.
The novel plunges us back into a fractured world where telepathy—either a blessing or a curse—defines power, allegiance, and survival. Our central characters—Elsa, Nightingale, Piper, and Rye—are each thrown into perilous circumstances. Elsa’s desperate search for refuge, Nightingale’s forced betrayal, Piper’s brutal rise through the Airmen, and Rye’s discovery of a mysterious airship all form riveting narrative threads that intertwine in surprising and satisfying ways.
Buffini's world-building continues to shine, particularly with the introduction of the Sealander Torches—a formidable new threat. The tensions between Brightland, Ayland, and Sealand create a charged political landscape, and the moral questions around the use and suppression of songlight lend the story real weight.
Torchfire is a powerful exploration of power, resistance, and the price of peace. With its rich characters, imaginative lore, and high-stakes drama, this installment raises the bar and sets the stage for what promises to be an explosive finale. A must-read for fans of intelligent, emotionally resonant fantasy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2025
Hello!??? This is so good?? Please read it???
I’m obsessed that a character I didn’t think I liked had the most spectacular arc and had my emotions in a blender 😭
Helloooooo to my latest obsession! 👀
Friends!, I need you all to read Songlight and grab Torchfire when it comes out in October!! This series continues to impress me and I gobbled👏🏼 this 👏🏼up! 👏🏼
I am a book 2 girlie, 💁🏼♀️ the emotions hit me right in the feels! Torchfire really leans into the 2010 dystopian vibes! The dystopian was dystopian-ing and the love triangle was triangle-ing, and the politics were driving our characters to grow and make impossible choices! 😭
Loved to see how the author introduced us to a new culture in this world and how that in turn could reflect back on what we already knew and saw and shed new light on things I didn’t see before!
The end 🏆😭 was SO good 🏆😭 it balanced a happy moment while leaving some plot lines open for book 3.
I can’t wait for you all to read this one!
Review is up on @sffinsiders check it out!!! https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
Thank you so much to @harpercollins @harpervoyagerus for the ARC, I’m so obsessed!
I’m obsessed that a character I didn’t think I liked had the most spectacular arc and had my emotions in a blender 😭
Helloooooo to my latest obsession! 👀
Friends!, I need you all to read Songlight and grab Torchfire when it comes out in October!! This series continues to impress me and I gobbled👏🏼 this 👏🏼up! 👏🏼
I am a book 2 girlie, 💁🏼♀️ the emotions hit me right in the feels! Torchfire really leans into the 2010 dystopian vibes! The dystopian was dystopian-ing and the love triangle was triangle-ing, and the politics were driving our characters to grow and make impossible choices! 😭
Loved to see how the author introduced us to a new culture in this world and how that in turn could reflect back on what we already knew and saw and shed new light on things I didn’t see before!
The end 🏆😭 was SO good 🏆😭 it balanced a happy moment while leaving some plot lines open for book 3.
I can’t wait for you all to read this one!
Review is up on @sffinsiders check it out!!! https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
Thank you so much to @harpercollins @harpervoyagerus for the ARC, I’m so obsessed!
March 19, 2025
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!
I am eternally grateful to the author and the publisher for sending me this book. I loved the first volume, it was one of my favorite reads of 2024. I didn’t think it was possible to love the second more. But I did, It’s epic. The pacing is perfectly balanced, the plot hits all the beats. There is not a dull moment; every chapter and every sentence falls in precise order for a reason. The writing is beautiful and flawless, with congruous themes of oppression and discrimination, effortlessly flowing between descriptions, dialogue, and action, moving the story into the anticipated and desired direction. I devoured the book in one sitting and desperately need the third book. I’m breathing this story with my every cell, and I need the resolution.
The plot picks up right where the first book finished. Lark is running away from her village with her mother, Heron, and Kingfisher. She knows who she is, what she wants to fight for, and who she is willing to die for. Being chased by the Brethren militia, and making unlikely alliances, she’s still a young girl falling in love and fighting palpable attraction between her Kingfisher.
Nightingale is locked in the capital, in a scene of betrayal and treason. There is very little happening with her but her placing in the Kite’s palace puts her at the center of events and influences others’ life and death. We meet a Siren who’s trying to atone for her unfortunate situation. Rye’s choices bring a new power into play, and Piper’s redemption when he finally sees the truth. And there is also Petra, an eximian, a teenage naive ingenue who fell in love with an ordinary sapien. An illicit affair that her parents are trying to dismiss and hide as if she disgraced her family. The biggest character growth so far. I find Kite’s ending to be the most just and well-deserved, and I do hope he doesn’t recover. I’m looking forward to seeing Cassandra return to herself and reunite with Raven.
And the most facing portrayal of my favorite, horrifying Swan. Zara is volatile, most deliciously and dangerously. Such a detailed and realistic depiction of unpredictability, psychopathy, and mood swings fueled by survival. I hope she finds peace in the end, but at the same time, characters like that usually end up deceased in books. With a great sacrifice and redemption arc but no happy ending. If it does happen as predicted, I won’t be sad.
I’m glad the Aylish have a chance for peace, and I wish they could influence the future of the planet. Brightland population finally sees through the lies and demands peace. Eximians are the definition of the world the Brethren fear, a physical manifestation of what’s to come.
It’s a story you can’t forget easily; it stays with you and lets you see real life in different colors. It is a description of the world we live in today, full of discrimination and abuse of women, of castes controlling people and telling them they’re inferior. Where a minority, the last surviving members of a group, are exterminated because they’re undesirable. Those with power always oppress and control those without. But what makes them have the power is sometimes just a stroke of sheer luck. Where ordinary humans feared those who were different and subjugated them simply because they felt inferior and threatened by them. Where people with special powers are in charge, and they control and treat sapiens without a song as second-class citizens. It’s a true depiction of humanity at its worst and a true depiction of humanity as it is right now.
This book is truly divine and I’m invested in every aspect of the story, in all the characters. The third book can’t come too soon!
I am eternally grateful to the author and the publisher for sending me this book. I loved the first volume, it was one of my favorite reads of 2024. I didn’t think it was possible to love the second more. But I did, It’s epic. The pacing is perfectly balanced, the plot hits all the beats. There is not a dull moment; every chapter and every sentence falls in precise order for a reason. The writing is beautiful and flawless, with congruous themes of oppression and discrimination, effortlessly flowing between descriptions, dialogue, and action, moving the story into the anticipated and desired direction. I devoured the book in one sitting and desperately need the third book. I’m breathing this story with my every cell, and I need the resolution.
The plot picks up right where the first book finished. Lark is running away from her village with her mother, Heron, and Kingfisher. She knows who she is, what she wants to fight for, and who she is willing to die for. Being chased by the Brethren militia, and making unlikely alliances, she’s still a young girl falling in love and fighting palpable attraction between her Kingfisher.
Nightingale is locked in the capital, in a scene of betrayal and treason. There is very little happening with her but her placing in the Kite’s palace puts her at the center of events and influences others’ life and death. We meet a Siren who’s trying to atone for her unfortunate situation. Rye’s choices bring a new power into play, and Piper’s redemption when he finally sees the truth. And there is also Petra, an eximian, a teenage naive ingenue who fell in love with an ordinary sapien. An illicit affair that her parents are trying to dismiss and hide as if she disgraced her family. The biggest character growth so far. I find Kite’s ending to be the most just and well-deserved, and I do hope he doesn’t recover. I’m looking forward to seeing Cassandra return to herself and reunite with Raven.
And the most facing portrayal of my favorite, horrifying Swan. Zara is volatile, most deliciously and dangerously. Such a detailed and realistic depiction of unpredictability, psychopathy, and mood swings fueled by survival. I hope she finds peace in the end, but at the same time, characters like that usually end up deceased in books. With a great sacrifice and redemption arc but no happy ending. If it does happen as predicted, I won’t be sad.
I’m glad the Aylish have a chance for peace, and I wish they could influence the future of the planet. Brightland population finally sees through the lies and demands peace. Eximians are the definition of the world the Brethren fear, a physical manifestation of what’s to come.
It’s a story you can’t forget easily; it stays with you and lets you see real life in different colors. It is a description of the world we live in today, full of discrimination and abuse of women, of castes controlling people and telling them they’re inferior. Where a minority, the last surviving members of a group, are exterminated because they’re undesirable. Those with power always oppress and control those without. But what makes them have the power is sometimes just a stroke of sheer luck. Where ordinary humans feared those who were different and subjugated them simply because they felt inferior and threatened by them. Where people with special powers are in charge, and they control and treat sapiens without a song as second-class citizens. It’s a true depiction of humanity at its worst and a true depiction of humanity as it is right now.
This book is truly divine and I’m invested in every aspect of the story, in all the characters. The third book can’t come too soon!
September 14, 2025
Review not from the target age…rather too obviously YA for me! 3.5 raised
I do read YA, though I am well past that time in my life. There is much to learn and think and feel about when some exceptional writers who have targeted towards the market are exploring deep issues in a way which renders them accessible but not impositional or dogmatic.
So…..I keenly explored the first volume of Buffini’s Torch trilogy, Songlight, which I enthusiastically 5 starred, because all which really identified it as for that target market was the age of the protagonists. Now, this one satisfied me less, though the depth of themes is wonderful. It was the charge up of cliff edge event after cliff edge event, the kind of filmic ramp up of battles, escape from extreme danger action after action, plus the similar will he/will she/will they charged spaces of teenage awakening and present sexuality which were wearying to a reader not of that demographic. This one seems more obviously gearing to the movie/Netflix series which will no doubt be on the horizon and a money spinner.
So, I do feel somewhat mean at my lowered rating. I think if you were 11 or 12+ this will be a thoroughly sensational and immersive read. I’m not sure how much it would still appeal to a late teens audience, especially those who are more sophisticated readers.
When I think back to my own teens – where ‘YA’ did not exist, and one was allowed unsupervised access to the adult library by the age of 12, although access to the children’s library was still possible, if wanted – I suspect lack of such ‘YA’ orientation led to the consumption of more challenging fare, without feeling it was too difficult.
Certainly, I remember by that age, reading John Wyndham (a profound, acknowledged and conscious influence on Buffini – especially ‘The Chrysalids’ which she cites in this book, and is even responsible for the homage naming of her newest ‘Torch’. Petra. Wyndham was never an author marketed towards young readers, though he was certainly an author which early secondary school pupils were devouring, as much as older adults. I went back to re-read The Chrysalids, and was absolutely struck by Wyndham’s economy, brevity, clarity and depth. Themes explored in that book are within this.
I do wish Buffini had been somewhat sparer in the constant ramping up of tension. It had the curious effect of making me skip and speed read, as being a tad too repetitive
There is everything to recommend though, for the younger secondary school reader, and also for the inclusion of themes around LGBTQ, sensitively handled.
I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley
I do read YA, though I am well past that time in my life. There is much to learn and think and feel about when some exceptional writers who have targeted towards the market are exploring deep issues in a way which renders them accessible but not impositional or dogmatic.
So…..I keenly explored the first volume of Buffini’s Torch trilogy, Songlight, which I enthusiastically 5 starred, because all which really identified it as for that target market was the age of the protagonists. Now, this one satisfied me less, though the depth of themes is wonderful. It was the charge up of cliff edge event after cliff edge event, the kind of filmic ramp up of battles, escape from extreme danger action after action, plus the similar will he/will she/will they charged spaces of teenage awakening and present sexuality which were wearying to a reader not of that demographic. This one seems more obviously gearing to the movie/Netflix series which will no doubt be on the horizon and a money spinner.
So, I do feel somewhat mean at my lowered rating. I think if you were 11 or 12+ this will be a thoroughly sensational and immersive read. I’m not sure how much it would still appeal to a late teens audience, especially those who are more sophisticated readers.
When I think back to my own teens – where ‘YA’ did not exist, and one was allowed unsupervised access to the adult library by the age of 12, although access to the children’s library was still possible, if wanted – I suspect lack of such ‘YA’ orientation led to the consumption of more challenging fare, without feeling it was too difficult.
Certainly, I remember by that age, reading John Wyndham (a profound, acknowledged and conscious influence on Buffini – especially ‘The Chrysalids’ which she cites in this book, and is even responsible for the homage naming of her newest ‘Torch’. Petra. Wyndham was never an author marketed towards young readers, though he was certainly an author which early secondary school pupils were devouring, as much as older adults. I went back to re-read The Chrysalids, and was absolutely struck by Wyndham’s economy, brevity, clarity and depth. Themes explored in that book are within this.
I do wish Buffini had been somewhat sparer in the constant ramping up of tension. It had the curious effect of making me skip and speed read, as being a tad too repetitive
There is everything to recommend though, for the younger secondary school reader, and also for the inclusion of themes around LGBTQ, sensitively handled.
I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley
July 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A blaze that burns through bone, blood, and belief.
I finished Torchfire with tears dried into my hoodie and a full-body ache that only comes from loving characters too much and watching them be broken open, again and again. There’s no other way to say it: this book gutted me. And I loved every second of it.
Second books in trilogies often feel like bridgework - necessary scaffolding to get us to the Big Finale. Not here. Torchfire is the house on fire, the wind blowing the embers, the ground trembling beneath your feet. Moira Buffini doesn't "build" a middle novel. She detonates it.
From the first page, I was gone. Gone with Lark and her raw determination. Gone with Rye and his impossible hope. Gone with Nightingale, trapped in a golden cage with a monstrous, silk-gloved captor. Every perspective feels lived-in, deeply real, like your own breath syncs with theirs. There’s trauma here, yes. And betrayal. And grief that blooms like bruises. But also resilience, so human and searing you want to stand up and cheer.
This book doesn’t slow down to hold your hand, and thank God for that. Buffini trusts her readers. She gives you pain and poetry in equal measure. She gives you girls who fall in love and boys who flinch from their fathers’ legacy. She gives you queer awakenings and the weight of bodies deemed disposable. She gives you villains who smile like saints, and heroes who barely recognize themselves in the mirror. It’s heavy, yes. But it’s not bleak. Torchfire is about fighting anyway.
And then there’s Swan. Volatile. Gorgeous. Deranged. The kind of villain who makes your stomach knot with fascination and dread. Buffini writes her with such precision that you don’t know whether to pity her or pray someone stops her. Maybe both.
Is this a YA book? Technically. But it’s more honest than most adult fiction I’ve read this year. Buffini doesn’t just ask who we are. She asks who we become when the world tells us what we’re worth - and we decide not to listen.
By the end, I was breathless. Furious that I couldn’t turn the page into book three. Certain that I’ll be rereading this entire series the moment it’s complete. If Songlight lit the match, Torchfire is the inferno.
This book doesn’t let you walk away untouched. Nor should it.
Huge thanks to Faber and Faber & NetGalley for the e-ARC of 'Torchfire'. All opinions are my own.
A blaze that burns through bone, blood, and belief.
I finished Torchfire with tears dried into my hoodie and a full-body ache that only comes from loving characters too much and watching them be broken open, again and again. There’s no other way to say it: this book gutted me. And I loved every second of it.
Second books in trilogies often feel like bridgework - necessary scaffolding to get us to the Big Finale. Not here. Torchfire is the house on fire, the wind blowing the embers, the ground trembling beneath your feet. Moira Buffini doesn't "build" a middle novel. She detonates it.
From the first page, I was gone. Gone with Lark and her raw determination. Gone with Rye and his impossible hope. Gone with Nightingale, trapped in a golden cage with a monstrous, silk-gloved captor. Every perspective feels lived-in, deeply real, like your own breath syncs with theirs. There’s trauma here, yes. And betrayal. And grief that blooms like bruises. But also resilience, so human and searing you want to stand up and cheer.
This book doesn’t slow down to hold your hand, and thank God for that. Buffini trusts her readers. She gives you pain and poetry in equal measure. She gives you girls who fall in love and boys who flinch from their fathers’ legacy. She gives you queer awakenings and the weight of bodies deemed disposable. She gives you villains who smile like saints, and heroes who barely recognize themselves in the mirror. It’s heavy, yes. But it’s not bleak. Torchfire is about fighting anyway.
And then there’s Swan. Volatile. Gorgeous. Deranged. The kind of villain who makes your stomach knot with fascination and dread. Buffini writes her with such precision that you don’t know whether to pity her or pray someone stops her. Maybe both.
Is this a YA book? Technically. But it’s more honest than most adult fiction I’ve read this year. Buffini doesn’t just ask who we are. She asks who we become when the world tells us what we’re worth - and we decide not to listen.
By the end, I was breathless. Furious that I couldn’t turn the page into book three. Certain that I’ll be rereading this entire series the moment it’s complete. If Songlight lit the match, Torchfire is the inferno.
This book doesn’t let you walk away untouched. Nor should it.
Huge thanks to Faber and Faber & NetGalley for the e-ARC of 'Torchfire'. All opinions are my own.
August 22, 2025
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
TORCHFIRE is a thrilling second instalment in this dystopian series.
This book spreads the story out across four main strands but then slowly begins to draw the characters together, until it ends with all the characters in one of two places. We get this expansive tale and an exploration of more places and people, but I did like that it began to contract, pulling everyone closer together. I've appreciated that songlight has kept the characters influencing one another and interacting so far, but it's really nice to have them finally physically coming together.
In addition to the existing five narrators, there is a new addition to the cast: Petra. She is from a distant, far more technologically advanced land where Torches rule - and see those without songlight as second class citizens. It was very interesting to see another power dynamic around these powers, one where they were the hunters rather than the hunted. It shows that no group is inherently better than another, reinforcing the series' message about living together as equals regardless of where we come from.
The tale also digs into the messiness of relationships and emotions. Lark and Rye, who start SONGLIGHT deeply in love, both are starting to feel things for other people - and are also grappling with that alongside their love for the one they think dead or will never see again. Kingfisher is playing a dangerous - and potentially true - game with his own affections. Nightingale is surrounded by twisted "love" and both recognising its effects on her and not. It's an exploration of how complicated it can be.
It also delves deeper into the twisted side of what some people call "love" to hide control. Kite controlling Swan is the most obvious side of it, and the effect that is happening on her. I love how morally grey she is, a survivor who has compromised so many times but also cannot see how she is hurting others. There are similar manipulations of affection in Petra's people and a disregard for the bodies and feelings of those considered lesser.
I am looking forward to seeing how it ends!
TORCHFIRE is a thrilling second instalment in this dystopian series.
This book spreads the story out across four main strands but then slowly begins to draw the characters together, until it ends with all the characters in one of two places. We get this expansive tale and an exploration of more places and people, but I did like that it began to contract, pulling everyone closer together. I've appreciated that songlight has kept the characters influencing one another and interacting so far, but it's really nice to have them finally physically coming together.
In addition to the existing five narrators, there is a new addition to the cast: Petra. She is from a distant, far more technologically advanced land where Torches rule - and see those without songlight as second class citizens. It was very interesting to see another power dynamic around these powers, one where they were the hunters rather than the hunted. It shows that no group is inherently better than another, reinforcing the series' message about living together as equals regardless of where we come from.
The tale also digs into the messiness of relationships and emotions. Lark and Rye, who start SONGLIGHT deeply in love, both are starting to feel things for other people - and are also grappling with that alongside their love for the one they think dead or will never see again. Kingfisher is playing a dangerous - and potentially true - game with his own affections. Nightingale is surrounded by twisted "love" and both recognising its effects on her and not. It's an exploration of how complicated it can be.
It also delves deeper into the twisted side of what some people call "love" to hide control. Kite controlling Swan is the most obvious side of it, and the effect that is happening on her. I love how morally grey she is, a survivor who has compromised so many times but also cannot see how she is hurting others. There are similar manipulations of affection in Petra's people and a disregard for the bodies and feelings of those considered lesser.
I am looking forward to seeing how it ends!
May 18, 2025
This is the second book in Moira Buffini's dystopian trilogy. I loved the first instalment, Songlight, giving it a rare 5* rating. This second book is just as good. The same key protagonists appear as in the first book - Elsa Crane and her former love Rye Tern, and Nightingale (Kaira), Elsa's friend who she communicates with from a distance via Songlight. Joining the cast of important characters we also have Kingfisher (from Ayland - a territory at war with the people of Northhaven and Brightland and thus in theory a sworn enemy of Elsa and Rye but who has come with the aim of bringing peace), Heron Mikane (Elsa's husband in name) but who has a close connection to Elsa's mother Curlew (Curl). Piper Crane (Elsa's brother) has a stronger part too - and becomes a more likeable character as he recognises and struggles to overcome his own prejudices/propaganda fed to him since birth. We have the enigmatic Zara Swan - sometimes good, sometimes evil, and clearly vulnerable to the evil of Lord Kite. And from across the seas we also have Sealanders - most notably Petra - one of few sealanders to have a good heart and be able to see past the prejudices of elite Sealanders (those with songlight).
In book 1 we see those with songlight (Torches) discriminated against, considered inhuman - in this book we see how the Sealander Torches themselves can wrongly use their powers to subjugate those who lack songlight. Set against these two harsh and unpleasant regimes we have the Aylish - who it seems, welcome all and treat all equally.
This was a book which I raced through - lots of tension, teen romance and a plot line that really draws you in whilst at the same time using key characters to call out injustice and highlight where prejudice is evident. Left as before on a cliff edge - can't wait to read the next instalment and find out what happens next. Massive thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this ARC.
In book 1 we see those with songlight (Torches) discriminated against, considered inhuman - in this book we see how the Sealander Torches themselves can wrongly use their powers to subjugate those who lack songlight. Set against these two harsh and unpleasant regimes we have the Aylish - who it seems, welcome all and treat all equally.
This was a book which I raced through - lots of tension, teen romance and a plot line that really draws you in whilst at the same time using key characters to call out injustice and highlight where prejudice is evident. Left as before on a cliff edge - can't wait to read the next instalment and find out what happens next. Massive thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this ARC.
August 21, 2025
Torchfire throws you straight back into the heart of the Aylish–Brightland conflict—and the stakes have never been higher.
• Elsa is fleeing Northaven, desperate to find safety.
• Nightingale is held captive by the chilling Sister Swan
• Piper has risen through the Airmen’s ranks.
• And Rye? He’s discovered an airship unlike anything he’s ever seen.
• Four paths. One fragile hope: peace.
The character work is rich, the pacing relentless a YA dystopian that reads with the weight and complexity of adult fiction. A dark society where the characters suffer for being different, the prejudice is real. They’re told how to act, think and are punished or used. This second instalment builds beautifully on Songlight, deepening arcs and sharpening moral dilemmas. Expect adventure, betrayal, impossible choices, and a growing fear that peace might demand more than anyone is ready to give.
The plot was engaging from the start, and the pacing kept me turning pages late into the night. The introduction of new characters adds to the story perfectly. Twist and turns you never see coming told from 6 different POV’s added to the tension. The representation is phenomenal, the stories of each character complex and heart breaking. You love to hate, then, hate to love.
If you crave immersive worlds and characters who tug at your heart while breaking it, this is one for your TBR. This is the 2nd book of the Torch Trilogy, and I need book 3 right now!!!
Tropes you’ll love:
• Found Family – bonds forged in danger
• Loyalty vs. Morality – the ultimate choice
• Corrupt Leaders – power in the wrong hands
• Captive Hero – freedom comes at a price
• Multiple POVs – Six voices, one story
• High-Stakes Rebellion – lives on the line
• Elsa is fleeing Northaven, desperate to find safety.
• Nightingale is held captive by the chilling Sister Swan
• Piper has risen through the Airmen’s ranks.
• And Rye? He’s discovered an airship unlike anything he’s ever seen.
• Four paths. One fragile hope: peace.
The character work is rich, the pacing relentless a YA dystopian that reads with the weight and complexity of adult fiction. A dark society where the characters suffer for being different, the prejudice is real. They’re told how to act, think and are punished or used. This second instalment builds beautifully on Songlight, deepening arcs and sharpening moral dilemmas. Expect adventure, betrayal, impossible choices, and a growing fear that peace might demand more than anyone is ready to give.
The plot was engaging from the start, and the pacing kept me turning pages late into the night. The introduction of new characters adds to the story perfectly. Twist and turns you never see coming told from 6 different POV’s added to the tension. The representation is phenomenal, the stories of each character complex and heart breaking. You love to hate, then, hate to love.
If you crave immersive worlds and characters who tug at your heart while breaking it, this is one for your TBR. This is the 2nd book of the Torch Trilogy, and I need book 3 right now!!!
Tropes you’ll love:
• Found Family – bonds forged in danger
• Loyalty vs. Morality – the ultimate choice
• Corrupt Leaders – power in the wrong hands
• Captive Hero – freedom comes at a price
• Multiple POVs – Six voices, one story
• High-Stakes Rebellion – lives on the line
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews