Sabaa Tahir

"Laia is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire's greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution"--

A Novel

An Ember in the Ashes

Ellaline Cami

"This life is not always what we think it will be, Cain says. You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it.' kclilt

'Keeps one reading long after the lights should have been out' ROBIN HOBB Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that's captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. When Laia's grandparents are brutally murdered and her brother arrested for treason by the empire, the only people she has left to turn to are the rebels. But in exchange for their help in saving her brother, they demand that Laia spy on the ruthless Commandant of Blackcliff, the Empire's greatest military academy. Should she fail it's more than her brother's freedom at risk . . . Laia's very life is at stake. There, she meets Elias, the academy's finest soldier. But Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined - and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Elena M.

Life is hard enough without having to avoid entire rooms in my own head.

Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after.

BOOK ONE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES Instant New York Times bestseller From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir Amazon's Best Young Adult Book of 2015 People's Choice Award winner - Favorite Fantasy Bustle's Best Young Adult Book of 2015 "This novel is a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human -- and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear." -- The Washington Post "An Ember in the Ashes could launch Sabaa Tahir into JK Rowling territory...It has the addictive quality of The Hunger Games combined with the fantasy of Harry Potter and the brutality of Game of Thrones."--Public Radio International "An Ember in the Ashes glows, burns, and smolders--as beautiful and radiant as it is searing."--Huffington Post "A worthy novel - and one as brave as its characters." --The New York Times Book Review Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They've seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school's finest soldier--and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he's being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined--and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

annika

Dinah De Vries

‘Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy’ Us Weekly Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that’s captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about.

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

Souhaila

anna ˖*°࿐

there's just something about fast-paced fantasy series that gets me every. time.

Linara K.S

This was a reread and I absolutely loved it ! It was way better than the first time I read it !

OMG I think this is one of my favourite series in 2018 !! This is totally amazing !! so small summary : Laia , of the Scholar race , must become a slave at the Martial Academy to spy for the Resistance hoping that she could save her captured older brother from prison. Elias, a student at the Martial Academy, he wears a mask that all the students must wear . They both live different lives but as the story goes on Laia discovers a ruthless way of living and is betrayed . Elias is trying to escape this academy but fails and is now in a difficult position.

Third reread update:
Still love the book though my excitement for the rest of the books did die down a bit perhaps it's because I knew what the twist was lol. Anyways can't wait for the reread of the second book. Rating this a solid 4.5/5 stars 🌟 because it lacked description and the pace was a bit too slow for my taste.

Nice. I really liked the incorporation of politics. The only issue was that even though I could connect to the characters, it was not a lot. Anyway, I will definitely read the next book in the series.

'Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy' Us Weekly Read the explosive New York Times bestselling debut that's captivated readers worldwide. Set to be a major motion picture, An Ember in the Ashes is the book everyone is talking about.

To everyone who yelled at me for the last ~10 years to read this book — I hope you know those therapy bills are being shipped to you shortly and they are EXPENSIVE!!

But seriously — I am in sheer AWE of this characterization. Truly, the depth & intricacy of every single main character arc was astoundingly beautiful — Laia, Elias, & Helene were brought to life so vividly it’s like I could close my eyes and touch them. It felt like I was there with them through every horror & every triumph, & their final epiphanies felt incredibly satisfying. Wow. Just. Wow.

The plot was also incredible & kept me in its feverish grip from the first to the last page, with incredible but believable twists that felt perfectly timed & well thought out. 

My only complaint is that the world-building felt EXTREMELY basic in the beginning. It did get fleshed out some with the introduction of magic creatures, but the divisions of different peoples still felt basic to me.

But that complaint got smaller as the story progressed — & I’m guessing it’ll get smaller still as we continue. Onward!

Sharanya Sharma

To everyone who yelled at me for the last ~10 years to read this book — I hope you know those therapy bills are being shipped to you shortly and they are EXPENSIVE!!

But seriously — I am in sheer AWE of this characterization. Truly, the depth & intricacy of every single main character arc was astoundingly beautiful — Laia, Elias, & Helene were brought to life so vividly it’s like I could close my eyes and touch them. It felt like I was there with them through every horror & every triumph, & their final epiphanies felt incredibly satisfying. Wow. Just. Wow.

The plot was also incredible & kept me in its feverish grip from the first to the last page, with incredible but believable twists that felt perfectly timed & well thought out. 

My only complaint is that the world-building felt EXTREMELY basic in the beginning. It did get fleshed out some with the introduction of magic creatures, but the divisions of different peoples still felt basic to me.

But that complaint got smaller as the story progressed — & I’m guessing it’ll get smaller still as we continue. Onward!

Kiran Aftab

i haven't felt this way about a series since i read scythe in december

Linta

might not continue the series, didn’t intrigue me much

clau☁️

Hanna Rybchynska

I loved this book! It's amazing YA. 

In a dystopian society, based on antique Rome, everyone against the empire is punished. Laia's brother is accused of treason and he is sent to prison. Laia joins the rebels and she infiltrates the military school to save him!

I loved the main characters and the plot. It was a little bit predictable (as any YA is) but it was sooo enjoyable.

Ashley shackelford

Nova

3.5 

i feel like me from 2 to 3 years ago would’ve liked this more. i’m not sure if it’s because i’m not fully immersed in it, but i only kept reading because i’m attached to the characters. i loved the worldbuilding and am still curious to learn more about the history—especially the tribals. how the words were woven together is also really caters to my taste, it’s not too fancy but sophisticated enough without being hard to read.

BOOK ONE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time Instant New York Times bestseller From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir Amazon's Best Young Adult Book of 2015 People's Choice Award winner - Favorite Fantasy Bustle's Best Young Adult Book of 2015 “This novel is a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human — and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear.” — The Washington Post “An Ember in the Ashes could launch Sabaa Tahir into JK Rowling territory…It has the addictive quality of The Hunger Games combined with the fantasy of Harry Potter and the brutality of Game of Thrones.”—Public Radio International "An Ember in the Ashes glows, burns, and smolders—as beautiful and radiant as it is searing."—Huffington Post “A worthy novel – and one as brave as its characters.” —The New York Times Book Review Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

loisesya

Luke Harkness

5 star because it had everything

This book had absolutely everything. 

Characters you genuinely cared about to a point where you care so much you struggle to read on at points! Some lovely and caring, others horrible and inconceivably cruel, all flawed and, as a result, very believable!

A storyline you constantly want to read the next chapter of to see where it is taking you, hoping what you thought was going to happen happens and then ether satisfyingly does or also satisfyingly takes a brilliant twist.

It's a book I feel the author could have kept on writing and I would have kept on reading. But I'm glad there's a sequel (and another book coming soon) as it allows me to break it up and get myself ready for the next installment as there's a lot of unanswered questions and little holes I want them to explore more!

Selin Igten

akynn 

i made a great decision to ignore their ages completely and i am glad.

This reminded my why I love reading. It was so beautiful and sad and thrilling. Elias and laia are going to break my heart. When I wasn't reading this I was thinking about reading it.

Ellen Ivey

Zahra

This book is such a sweet surprise because I had no expectation when I first started it and ended up loving it. 

It's the kind of book that will keep you guessing and wondering what's gonna happen next. I had so much fun putting all the pieces together and trying to grasp what the heck is happening.

Deepika Ramesh

Tatiana

An Ember in the Ashes is the kind of book that is enthralling while you read it, and you cannot stop thinking about it when you're not. This series gained A LOT of hype and I have to say, it earned every single bit of it.

The writing is incredible and the split perspective between Elias and Laia works like a dream (You won't need a Midnight Sun for this series!) The way Sabaa Tahir has brought the characters to life is incredible. Seriously, I think I went through the five stages of grief while reading this book. 

The pacing, storyline, everything is a work of art. It has everything one may want in a book, exciting and daring adventure, romance, magic, mystery, even a bit of a heist. I believe this book, if not the entire series, will be a favorite for readers everywhere for an extremely long time.

Izzy

💌

i’m speechless 
this book is AMAZING!! it has so many elements and depth and ahhhh i’m in love

Jaden Nelson

This is my second time reading this book because I want to read "A Torch Against the Night" and I all I really remembered about this book was that I loved it. And I do have to stay I loved it just as much now as I did before. This is truly probably one of my favorite books I have ever read for some reasons I cannot explain. It is one to the longest books I have read in a while, but also one of the fastest. While the book is in fact a chunker, there is an amazing world packed into these 446 pages. I have so many jumbled thoughts on this masterpiece that I could ramble for probably days. The characters are so well developed and thinking back in the book, unlike most books I read, I cannot pick out one moment in the book that I felt unnecessary or boring. The work development is extraordinary. I have a feeling that if this book was made into a movie, 1 they would probably ruin it for me in so many ways, 2 I would freak out and go see it instantly, and 3 there is so much that happened, that I think it would have to be at least 2 parts. Anyways, this will always remain one of my favorite books in existence (as far as now) and I can see my self re-re- and re-reading this many times. Anyways, would highly recommend to anyone into fantasy, fighting/combat, or basically just any person because it is a great book. NOW ONTO A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT YAY

Melissa Palmer

Book #28 Read in 2015
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

This book better have a sequel to it and it better come out soon! Martials have overtaken the government and have enslaved Scholars. Elias is a Martial who is graduating from an academy that will teach him how to be heartless and cold. Laia is a Scholar who joins forces with the resistance in an effort to save her captured brother. The two connect in a way that shouldn't be possible and are drawn to helping each other. This book had good action, romance, interesting characters and a plot that made the over 400 pages fly by. I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a honest review.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

Briar's Reviews

I used to live, eat, breathe, and sleep YA novels. They were my thing, and then I drifted away from them. I found it harder and harder to get back into YA since there were so many and I couldn't keep up. I had been admiring this book from afar, and then I finally bit the bullet and ordered it. Lucky for me, this book was a real keeper and reminded me of how much I LOVE YA fantasy. 

Sabaa Tahir has created an incredible world with her magnificent writing style. She pulls you in, makes you addicted, and then you're hooked. I seriously need the rest of this series, but I have no idea when they'll find their way to me. All I know is that Sabaa Tahir has a new fan out of me!

This fantasy world full of war, deceit, and murder is brutal. There's politics, there's war crimes, there's kidnapping, and there's godlike men. There's also a hint to demons and ghouls, which makes me more intrigued about what plan Sabaa has in store for this series. She has clearly thought it through, and I am ready to binge as soon as possible.

I found the writing style easy to read and it was a fast read. I kept reading on and on, and I wouldn't realize that I had still been reading. That's the best kinds of books - the ones where you drift away into another world and don't want to escape. Add in that the book is fast paced and moves between two characters with synchronisity... You've got a real winner! 

Our main characters were relatable in their own ways. Each of them had unique points of views and reasons for their actions. I worry about Marcus, as he seems like an unhinged insane man... but we'll see where he goes. Assaulting women and then killing your own brother does sound like a wee bit of a problem... Or a bit more than a wee bit, a lot.

Elias and Laia seem like they might have to cross paths again in the grand scheme of things. They are quite the pair, even if we have a sort of love square going on. I love their dynamics, and I seriously can relate and feel for both of them. They were put in horrible situations but somehow do their best.

I'm also really interested in the prophecy that has been hinted at...

There's just so much to this series it's like a Russian doll. Honestly, you need to grab this book if you love fantasy, YA, and a splash of romance. There's a lot of action, suspense, and mystery throughout the pages as well.

Five out of five stars! New fave series alert!

An Ember in the Ashes A Novel

Reviews

Highlights