Sabaa Tahir

For use in schools and libraries only. Helene's mission is horrifying, unwanted, and clear: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape and kill them both.

A Torch Against the Night

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time Book two in the New York Times bestselling series A USA Today bestseller A Wall Street Journal bestseller “Spectacular.”—Entertainment Weekly “Fresh and exciting...Tahir has shown a remarkable talent for penning complex villains.”—A.V. Club "Even higher stakes than its predecessor… thrilling." —Publishers Weekly, starred review “[An] action-packed, breathlessly paced story.” —Booklist, starred review Set in a rich, high-fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, Sabaa Tahir's AN EMBER IN THE ASHES told the story of Laia, a slave fighting for her family, and Elias, a young soldier fighting for his freedom. Now, in A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT, Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire. Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike. Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape...and kill them both.

Elena M.

Failure doesn’t define you. It’s what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.

Dinah De Vries

Ipshita Kanungo

anna ˖*°࿐

Samantha Jackson

Laia and Elias fight their way north to liberate Laia's brother from the horrors of Kauf Prison. Hunted by Empire soldiers, manipulated by the Commandant, and haunted by their pasts, Laia and Elias must outfox their enemies and confront the treacherousness of their own hearts. In the city of Serra, Helene Aquilla finds herself bound to the will of the Empire's twisted new leader, Marcus. When her loyalty is questioned, Helene finds herself taking on a mission to prove herself-a mission that might destroy her, instead.

Matilda Stener

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes)

i find it a bit boring than the first one. releasing one person from prison needn’t that much pages i think. for more than a half of the book we saw two different perspectives at the same PLACE, during the same TIME and with the same CONDITION. it slowed down the pace and it bored me to death. i just speed reading most of elias’s and laia’s pov because i don’t think the plot going anywhere in their povs. and helene, the tiny amount of her pov is a CRIME. it is the only part that excites me. i want to know more of her story, i want to see her development as a person as well as a shrike, even if it means she has to suffer. i’m not afraid for her because i know that helene aquilla will not falter. she understands her duty and she sets her priority right.

“There is more to this life than love, Helene Aquilla. There is duty. Empire. Family. Gens. The men you lead. The promises you make. Your father knows this. So will you, before the end.”

4 stars for the bravest, the strongest, the smartest, the most loyal, my beloved helene aquilla, and there is laia and elias ig.

hana

i find it a bit boring than the first one. releasing one person from prison needn’t that much pages i think. for more than a half of the book we saw two different perspectives at the same PLACE, during the same TIME and with the same CONDITION. it slowed down the pace and it bored me to death. i just speed reading most of elias’s and laia’s pov because i don’t think the plot going anywhere in their povs. and helene, the tiny amount of her pov is a CRIME. it is the only part that excites me. i want to know more of her story, i want to see her development as a person as well as a shrike, even if it means she has to suffer. i’m not afraid for her because i know that helene aquilla will not falter. she understands her duty and she sets her priority right.

“There is more to this life than love, Helene Aquilla. There is duty. Empire. Family. Gens. The men you lead. The promises you make. Your father knows this. So will you, before the end.”

4 stars for the bravest, the strongest, the smartest, the most loyal, my beloved helene aquilla, and there is laia and elias ig.

Ellen Ivey

loisesya

chloe rae

WOOOOOOW I AM HOOKED I AM ADDICTED.
This series has officially taken over my life at the moment. I IMMEDIATELY ran out and bought newest one because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW.
Obsessed. In love.

Haleema 

Izzy

okay so Spoiler laia sleeping with the nightbringer is still so dsfdfsdfhds

‘Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy’ Us Weekly The sequel to the explosive New York Times bestselling debut AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, that’s captivated readers worldwide.

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

Annabella

Okay, two things: 

I Didn't see that coming and

MORE HELENE

Vicky (A City Girl's Thoughts)

There are books that are labelled thrillers who fall short of their genre, but Sabaa Tahir's sequel to An Ember in the Ashes not only fits perfectly into this genre, she injects an adrenaline-fuelled storyline that interweaves like a smooth-flowing liquid into both storylines: Helene's hunt for Elias (the Commandant's son who was sentenced to death for refusing to kill Laia, a slave accused of spying for the rebels) and Elias' plot to evade his captors whilst working with Laia to free her brother from the Empire's main prison. 

We pick up right where we left off as Elias Veturius and Laia escape Blackcliff and try to head to Kauf, the prison where Darin, Laia's brother, is held. Helene, now Blood Shrike, is ordered by Emperor Marcus Farrar to bring Elias back so he can be publicly executed. Upset and confused - she doesn't want to kill him because she loves him - she tries to avoid catching him. Meanwhile, Elias and Laia's plans have to be revised after Elias is poisoned. Desperate to get to Kauf as soon as possible, she, along with Izzi (the Commandant's slave) and Keenan (one of the rebels), work to help Elias while seeking out more help. As their plan progresses, their enemies - both human and creature - throw obstacles in their way which not only tests their physical strength but causes them to doubt whether they're fighting for the right cause(s). 

Tahir incorporates Arabic supernatural elements into this story, such as jinn (spirits [not angels] who can appear in human and/or animal form to possess other humans), fey (mortal fairy?), and ifrits (female devils). These creatures were around since the last novel, so their presence isn't surprising (except for one.) Tahir also doesn't hold back on the violence and bloodshed, which kind of surprised me, since this series is for teens. If you've read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you'll find similarities between both series, but when it comes to the war scenes Collins held back from writing explicitly violent details while Tahir does the opposite. Tahir also doesn't write death out of the way; her characters have to face this and understand it's inevitable during war. Some authors - when it comes to a war novel - will avoid having the good characters die and leave out as much detail regarding the fight(s), trauma, disease, poverty, and bloodshed that occur, but Tahir will write all of that (specifically the amount of bloodshed, poverty, and - to a lesser extent - trauma) in vivid detail. Women and men are equally responsible for horrific crimes committed throughout this story, and yes, there's a - as I call it - "love square" (not triangle, that's completely overdone throughout the history of romance novels!)

All in all, I was immediately hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down (I eventually had to take a hiatus due to life 😂). The tone is darker than the last book, which felt a little depressing at certain parts, but I felt as if I was there with Laia, Helene, and Elias as they fought for their life and the future of their Empire, which shows how good Tahir is with words! Definitely five stars!

myra musick

Marchelle

3.5/5 Rating.

"Failure doesn’t define you. It’s what you do after you fail that determines whether you are a leader or a waste of perfectly good air.

'Tahir spins a captivating, heart-pounding fantasy' Us Weekly The sequel to the explosive New York Times bestselling debut AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, that's captivated readers worldwide.

Kimmy Hobden

Carolina Mendes

This book is just WOW WOW WOW! I’m absolutely spechless right now. WHAT WAS THIS??! OH MA GAWD! It checks every box with a five star: 
- plot - absolutely marvelous and well thought and delivered! Th story is absolutely beautiful, complex but not to much - if it makes sense - and it was so well put together! Never a dull moment in this book, not a single random thing - everything was right were it should be and made sense later on! SO PERFECT 😮‍💨
-characters- so much growth on the main characters! All the characters so complex, with their one stories and problems/evolution to deal with. ALSO the intensity and deepness of some characters and their thoughts- absolutely SMASHED BY IT 🤌🏻
- world building - SPOT ON!! In the first one we get a glimpse of the fantasy world but in this one IT EXPLODES! AND IT’S AMAZINGGGGG! 🥺
- plot twists after plot twists after plot twists!! At some point I lost track at how many times my mouth went straight to the floor AND I LIVED FOR IT 🥵
- writing - Sabaa really knows how to do it with SUCH A INTENSE AND UNIQUENESS WAY!! The way she tells this story is- I CAN’T EVEN! But the one thing made me really AHHHH is the way she writes characters and makes them ALIVE! I was emotional every time Elias spoke… and the last few chapters OMG! The angst, the tension, THE WAY I COULDN’T PUT THE BOOK DOWN!!! And the END (aka cliffhanger)- I CRIED!! Cause it was so simple yet so beautiful 😭😭 CAN’T WAIT TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE!!! 

ALSO in the beginning I was really annoyed at Hel’s POVs but in the last few chapters she really really REALLY CONQUERED MY HEART! AND AVITAS- OH MY GOD I WASN’T EXPECTING THAT and i think I’m gonna love this character in the future books 🤭 OH AND I SHIP IT ALL THE FREAKING WAYYYYYY 🥲 

I REALLY CAN’T SAY ENOUGH TO MAKE IT UP TO HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS!! 

Read it. Please.

Léa

3,5/5 

J’ai très peu été emballé par cette suite. En fait je l’ai trouvé trop longue, il ne se passe rien pendant un moment et le peu d’actions qui se passent sont trop rapides je trouve. J’ai aimé suivre les personnages mais j’admets ne pas m’être énormément attaché à eux finalement… 
J’ai par contre, adoré l’aspect politique que prend l’intrigue, le développement du personnage d’Hélène a été un régal. Et puis bon, CE CLIFFHANGER DE MALADE ? Je ne m’y attendais ABSOLUMENT PAS !!!
Je lirai la suite c’est sur mais c’est dommage, si cert aspects étaient mieux exploités ce serait un coup de coeur parce que l’univers et l’histoire ont un potentiel énorme !

The quest continues for Elias and Laia to rescue Laia's brother from an impenetrable prison and elude the Emperor and Commandant, while Elias's former friend Helen, now the Blood Shrike, is under the Emperor's orders to kill them.

A Novel

i loved this but the amount of times the word "skies" was used makes me want to jump off a cliff

june

catia

** spoiler alert **
           "You're the girl who razed Blackcliff and liberated Kauf. Laia of Serra. The ember waiting to burn down the Empire."


Sabaa Tahir did it again! This one even better than the first, can't wait to keep reading this fantastic, fascinating and amazing story! And gosh how much i love Elias Veturius!

This book was even more suspenseful than the first one. The things that are uncovered here were page turning. Eventually there were some very important plot points and revelations that Tahir had written very well, and were building up from the start of the first book of the series.
The beautiful lines coming from this book truly touch me. I can't wait to start the next book!

Heavy af. Going to leave me scarred for days, until I begin the next one. Keeping the depressing note aside, i really liked it. Don't want to use the word "enjoyed" coz well, everyone's dying & shit but the book's real good. Plot & world building is amazing, characters are well, they fit the stereotypical fantasy characters but still feel real & alive & good. Some of the side characters are my favourite. Definitely doesn't disappoint. There were things I didn't see coming. Then there were things I did see coming, but still devoured every bit. A lot of chapters, big book it is, but never does it get slow or boring. There's something always happening (most of the times it's death but ok). I am so pumped for the third one.

Lainie Stuart

OOPS I forgot to post my review a few days ago! 

SO GOOD!!! very painful though-ow. I really love the continued character devlopment that is going on in this series. Laia has become so much stronger already, but she still has an internal struggle that I look forward to seeing her overcome as the series continues. 
I know people love Helene and like,, I get that she isn't a truly bad person and I don't HATE her, but I'm still waiting for something to make me actually like her. I'm sure she will probably be more lovable in the next one, and I am all for a flawed character, but I just don't really get it yet. 
Elias has only gotten better, oh my god I LOVE HIM!!! He is just such a good person that even when he does annoying things, he is still great. You always know that he is going to feel remorse for the bad things he has done, and he will try to make it right however he can. 
I had absolutely no idea what plot twists were ahead of me as I read this book, and I was constantly being shocked by everything! Sabaa Tahir has that perfect way of storybuilding that makes you want to immediately reread everything to see all of the hints that you missed. 
I also really love Tahir's writing because she is able to constantly keep the reader hooked. At times, I caught myself seriously reflecting on what I had read hours before, and I just wanted to pick up the book again and again. This is especially impressive given how depressing this series can be. I don't usually look forward to reading things that I know will be painful, so the fact that this book is able to make me excited to read more is crazy. 
I am scared for the pain to come, but obviously I have to keep reading, I just love these characters so much :')

Yi Yaw

Joel J Hamill

The overall story of the series is moving along quickly. We're learning more and more about the main characters. I'm enjoying their growth and story arcs. The books continue to be fast pace and well written.

Lila Harrison

I'M SO HEARTBROKEN AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMETIME IN 2018 TO GET THE SEQUEL????!!!! GRRRRRRRRR!!!!
NOTES:
-This book broke my heart into a million pieces in so many ways
-Elias is my precious son!!!
-Helene is my darling!
-Laia gets waaaaaaay more credit than she deserves at the end
-I jumped ship from Elaia and I'm now fully on board the Helias ship!
(view spoiler)[-That being said, I'm pretty sure Helias is not going to sail and it absolutely breaks my heart (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[-I can't wait to see Helene get her revenge on Marcus and The Commandant--it's gonna be glorious (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[-#BringBackEliasFromBeingTheSoulCatcher (hide spoiler)]

Caitlin

Skies, I love this series so damn much. I want to live in this world forever with Elias, with Laia, with everyone. The politics stay heightened and interesting, the supernatural and the lore are diving deeper and deeper, and god, these characters are just SO WELL WRITTEN. I love every page.

Tatiana 

4.25 ⭐️

Is living a curse? Or a gift?

POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire. Laia is determined to break into Kauf--the Empire's most secure and dangerous prison--to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene--Elias's former friend and the Empire's newest Blood Shrike. Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own--one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape...and kill them both.

Another quick review because this is easier for long series. 

Overall: Enjoyed it more than the first book. Was more exciting and just enjoyed it. 

Characters:
Laia: so much more interesting, and character development is amazing. Glad we can see her grow. 

Elias: my boy. My sweet boy. That’s it. I love him. 

Helene: our goddess. My saint. I love her so much. She is a goddess and nobody dare say anything against her. 

Cook: ik ik they aren’t a main but I love the cook so much. 

World building: gorgeous and original (keeping this bc it was perfect)

Ending: nice clean ending, am excited for the next one. 

Other notes: enjoyed this one more than the first one… feel like the author improved a lot. 

A Torch Against the Night

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