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A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)

Sabaa Tahir

Start date: August 1, 2022

Finish date: August 31, 2022

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What Members Thought

Oct 23, 2016 Colleen Scidmore rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-on-google-drive, currently-on-my-bookshelf, favorite-reads, currently-on-my-computer, 5-star-reads, favorites

Update 9/7/23

This was a reread of the second book in An Ember in the Ashes series and I loved it ALMOST as much as the first book. Still a 5 Star read. It still had plenty of feels and it crushed my heart over and over again and I loved every minute of it. Sabaa you are such an amazing writer! I cannot wait to continue on with this series! Beautiful, Tortured, Brave, Monstrous (literally and figuratively) characters aplenty.

*I just reread my old review and noticed how much my reading tastes hav Update 9/7/23

This was a reread of the second book in An Ember in the Ashes series and I loved it ALMOST as much as the first book. Still a 5 Star read. It still had plenty of feels and it crushed my heart over and over again and I loved every minute of it. Sabaa you are such an amazing writer! I cannot wait to continue on with this series! Beautiful, Tortured, Brave, Monstrous (literally and figuratively) characters aplenty.

*I just reread my old review and noticed how much my reading tastes have changed. I still enjoy a good vampire book here and there but rarely pick one up. Who all has noticed that their reading tastes have changed in the last 5 years or so?

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I'm not sure even where to start. I am absolutely in love with this series. I like Fantasy and Supernatural books but I love vampire books, don't know why but it is my thing and those are usually my favorites. But after reading the first two books in this series I have found my new favorite and it is not a vampire book, go figure!

This book had so many emotions throughout the pages. Joy, fear, sadness, love, etc.
I just can't believe all of the obstacles that Elias and Laia have had to go through on their journey to try to save Darin. There are many times when I thought there was no way they could survive what they had endured There was also quite a few surprises that had me reeling, I'm usually pretty good at guessing a lot of outcomes, but this book was so well written even I was shocked at times.

I grew to love a lot of the characters from the first book. Elias, Laia, Izzy, Helene and even some new ones from the second of the series. There is also the same enemies from the original that you love to hate and now a couple more added to the list. Like The Warden..he is so disgusting and sick!

I was devastated by some of the events in this book, and I had actual tears in my eyes at times.
I wasn't totally satisfied with the end, I think that it was just that I wanted certain things for the characters. It was also hard for me to end this book because I want read the next book NOW, and it's not expected to come out until 2018!! :(
Maybe (please please please) it will come out sooner?!!! ...more

30 likes · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2015 Tammie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: series, series-completed, fantasy, favorites, young-adult, owned-hard-cover, high-fantasy, owned-ebook

4.5 stars.

A Torch Against the Night picks up right where An Ember in the Ashes ended. We are immediately drawn into the story as Laia and Elias are desperately trying to find a way out of the city. They are about to start on their quest to free Laia's brother from Kauf prison, which is far up north. There end up being quite a few twists and turns along the way.

I'm happy to say that A Torch Against the Night was every bit as good as An Ember in the Ashes. No second book syndrome here. This book 4.5 stars.

A Torch Against the Night picks up right where An Ember in the Ashes ended. We are immediately drawn into the story as Laia and Elias are desperately trying to find a way out of the city. They are about to start on their quest to free Laia's brother from Kauf prison, which is far up north. There end up being quite a few twists and turns along the way.

I'm happy to say that A Torch Against the Night was every bit as good as An Ember in the Ashes. No second book syndrome here. This book is very well plotted and it kept me glued to it. Not everything went exactly the way I was wanting, but the beauty of a good book is that even when things don't go exactly the way you wanted, in the end you can see why things had to be the way they were and you end up loving it and wanting more. (view spoiler)

I admire the author for being gutsy enough to include some very brutal things in her YA books and not swooping in and saving certain characters at the last minute. None of it is gratuitous, it's all an important part of the plot and it makes the villains more believable. I also loved the conflicting feelings the characters have throughout the books. They are so very real. There were a couple of times I wanted to hate Helene, but I couldn't because I understood where she was coming from. She makes some tough decisions in the book, some I definitely didn't agree with, but I couldn't help but admire her in the end. Who knows what I would have done in her place.

Elias is still my favorite character in the book. I was on pins and needles until the end over his character and what was happening or might happen. (view spoiler) And Laia, I continue to like her. She learned a lot about herself in this book. (view spoiler) There are also a couple of new characters introduced in this book that I loved. Harper and Tas. In the beginning you might wonder why I end up loving Harper, but you will find out. Some of the old supporting characters are back as well; Izzy and even Cook, whose appearances are brief, but interesting.

It looks like there will be two more books in this series. This is one of those rare times that a YA fantasy series is so well done that I feel like two more books is a good thing. There is still so much ground left to cover that I can't imagine any of it just being filler. I'm impatiently awaiting the next book.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jun 19, 2020 Jenn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, 3-star-reads, signed-copies, do-you-believe-in-magic, read-in-2020, fantasy, young-adult

"You are a torch against the night - if you dare to let yourself burn."

I think I liked this one a little better than the first one, which rarely happens. But I felt that the characters sunk a little more into who they were and it was finally coming across on the page. However, I still had the same issue I had with the first one where I felt the length of the book.

The sophomore book tends to always be the hardest. For most, it's the middle book and it's purpose is to bridge the beginning with ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2016 Tanya Patrice rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks

The audiobook narrators are superb and I loved reading this 2nd book in the series. The multiple POVs were very different and it brought the story to life to see different perspectives.

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2017 Shelley rated it it was amazing

The epic tale continues with this second installment of An Ember in the Ashes and I couldn't be more pleased. This book does an excellent job of picking up right where we left off and now we follow Elias and Laia as they try to get to Laia's brother and break him out of the prison. Of course this will not be as easy as can be because otherwise we would not have an epic tale. With Elias now poisoned the two have to face the fact that he will not be able to serve as Laia's protector and both will ...more

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Oct 26, 2017 Erika rated it it was amazing

Hands down one of the best series. I can't wait until next year! This book was as good as the first. in fact, I rarely reread books, but I might make an exception for this series because so many little things that you read in book one matter in this book, and probably the next book! Just amazing!!! ...more

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