Name: Chiara Vitale Zelaia's review of A Vision in Smoke by Allyson S. Barkley
Item: A Vision in Smoke
Rating: 4
Author: Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Allyson S. Barkley

"I am the Princess of Organa. Dear Old Kings, she might have just made the most reckless mistake of her life." After weeks of travel and several narrow brushes with death and capture, Ari and Ely are finally nearing the end of their unwanted adventure. But Ari let her secret slip to save them and suddenly the stakes of their journey are so much higher. Thrown into the middle of the war Ari has tried to avoid for so long, they are forced to confront long-forgotten ghosts, painful betrayals, and dangerous truths. Will Ari and Ely's unsteady bond be enough to brave these oncoming battles, or will the past and its secrets tear everything apart? A Vision in Smoke draws us back into the world of Until the Stars Are Dead with a host of new characters, exciting twists, and gripping action.

Until the Stars Are Dead #2

A Vision in Smoke

After weeks of travel and several narrow brushes with death and capture, Ari and Ely are finally nearing the end of their unwanted adventure. But Ari let her secret slip to save them and suddenly the stakes of their journey are so much higher. Thrown into the middle of the war Ari has tried to avoid for so long, they are forced to confront long-forgotten ghosts, painful betrayals, and dangerous truths. Will Ari and Ely's unsteady bond be enough to brave these oncoming battles, or will the past and its secrets tear everything apart?

A Vision in Smoke draws us back into the world of Until the Stars Are Dead with a host of new characters, exciting twists, and gripping action.

Abigail | 

In that moment, his heart sounded like mountain air and crackling leaves and the flap of wings against wide skies. It sounded like the gentle glittering of the stars and the roar of the Sonrein River. His heart sounded like hers. 

For a few seconds, Ari wondered what it would be like to listen to his heart day after day. She wondered if it would be better than only listening to her own, to Jagger's. She pictured the jagged Belem peaks and miles of silent pines. Rough red grass and worn paths curving over the earth. Could it be nice? Could it be peaceful to feel another soul breathing into the night air like this?

He met her eye and she was suddenly grateful for the stillness. If they'd been walking, she was sure she would have stumbled with the weight of his gaze.

 She didn't know any apology that could fix it. She didn't know how to say that he was the first good, true thing she had known in six years and she was scared because the good things were always taken away. 

"Be warned, my dear, that experience does not equate to truth, nor does knowledge promise us happiness."

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

A Vision in Smoke is the fantastic sequel to A Memory of Light and I enjoyed it so much!! It started off all my fall fantasy reading vibes. 🥰

You know that great feeling when you read a sequel and it not only lives up to expectations, but you like it more than the first book in the series? It’s SO nice when that happens instead of hitting a second book slump. That’s how I felt about this one.

If you enjoy YA fantasy and lots of adventure , I think you’d really enjoy it too. 💛 Thqnk you so much for the copy, Allyson!

A Vision in Smoke is the fantastic sequel to A Memory of Light and I enjoyed it so much!! It started off all my fall fantasy reading vibes. 🥰

You know that great feeling when you read a sequel and it not only lives up to expectations, but you like it more than the first book in the series? It’s SO nice when that happens instead of hitting a second book slump. That’s how I felt about this one.

If you enjoy YA fantasy and lots of adventure , I think you’d really enjoy it too. 💛 Thqnk you so much for the copy, Allyson!

After loving A Memory of Light last year, A VISION IN SMOKE was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and I was not disappointed! Coming back to this world and spending more time with Ari, Ely and Jagger felt like coming home. The book had as much high-stakes action as it predecessor, but the pacing was overall slower (in a positive sense) and the story more emotional (sometimes I was on the verge of tears). We spend more quality time with the characters, unraveling their pasts and diving deeper into their inner thoughts and feelings. I especially enjoyed Ari’s arc and watching her slowly open up, especially to Ely. Not too much, as is her way, but it’s a start! Will their relationship turn romantic? I hope so! But even if it doesn’t, I love the slow-budding trust and honesty of this grumpy/sunshine dynamic. The addition of new characters was also welcome. In particular, I adored Odaan, who was such a comic relief and as big an Ely simp as I am!

My only pickle—and this comes down 100% to personal preference—were the lengthy sections in war camps and councils. They were incredibly well written, but didn’t always have enough action to consistently keep my interest piqued. However, if you like reading about warfare in detail, you won’t be disappointed!

Now the agonizing wait for the next book begins, especially after that painful cliffhanger! My excitement is off the charts, and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for the future. If you love YA fantasy like Throne of Glass (especially the first books with less romantic elements), don’t sleep on this series!

Thank you so much to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

This was one of my most awaited sequels of the year! I had the pleasure of reading A Memory of Light last year and it was such a great YA Fantasy read, and this book is no less amazing! 

I loved seeing Ari, Jagger and Ely (my precious, darling Ely) again! I won’t lie, Ari and Ely have an amazing dynamic and would work as friends, too, but I can’t help myself. I ship them. The characters are amazing, but Ely has a special place in my heart. The fact that he’s willing to step aside and ignore his feelings in order for someone else’s happiness just does it for me. I make no mystery that he’s my favorite and that he deserves the world. 

This book felt more emotional and played on my heartstrings. The cliffhanger broke me. However, I did find A Vision in Smoke to be slower in some parts compared to its predecessor, especially in the strategizing and training parts, which are usually the parts of fantasy stories that I prefer told in paragraphs rather than extensive scenes. 

Overall, this was a solid sequel. I can’t wait to see how the series continues!

Thank you to the author for sending me an ebook. Opinions are my own!

This was one of my most awaited sequels of the year! I had the pleasure of reading A Memory of Light last year and it was such a great YA Fantasy read, and this book is no less amazing!

I loved seeing Ari, Jagger and Ely (my precious, darling Ely) again! I won’t lie, Ari and Ely have an amazing dynamic and would work as friends, too, but I can’t help myself. I ship them. The characters are amazing, but Ely has a special place in my heart. The fact that he’s willing to step aside and ignore his feelings in order for someone else’s happiness just does it for me. I make no mystery that he’s my favorite and that he deserves the world.

This book felt more emotional and played on my heartstrings. The cliffhanger broke me. However, I did find A Vision in Smoke to be slower in some parts compared to its predecessor, especially in the strategizing and training parts, which are usually the parts of fantasy stories that I prefer told in paragraphs rather than extensive scenes.

Overall, this was a solid sequel. I can’t wait to see how the series continues!

Thank you to the author for sending me an ebook. Opinions are my own!

After loving A Memory of Light last year, A VISION IN SMOKE was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and I was not disappointed! Coming back to this world and spending more time with Ari, Ely and Jagger felt like coming home. The book had as much high-stakes action as it predecessor, but the pacing was overall slower (in a positive sense) and the story more emotional (sometimes I was on the verge of tears). We spend more quality time with the characters, unraveling their pasts and diving deeper into their inner thoughts and feelings. I especially enjoyed Ari’s arc and watching her slowly open up, especially to Ely. Not too much, as is her way, but it’s a start! Will their relationship turn romantic? I hope so! But even if it doesn’t, I love the slow-budding trust and honesty of this grumpy/sunshine dynamic. The addition of new characters was also welcome. In particular, I adored Odaan, who was such a comic relief and as big an Ely simp as I am!

My only pickle—and this comes down 100% to personal preference—were the lengthy sections in war camps and councils. They were incredibly well written, but didn’t always have enough action to consistently keep my interest piqued. However, if you like reading about warfare in detail, you won’t be disappointed!

Now the agonizing wait for the next book begins, especially after that painful cliffhanger! My excitement is off the charts, and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for the future. If you love YA fantasy like Throne of Glass (especially the first books with less romantic elements), don’t sleep on this series!

Chiara Vitale Zelaia &
A Vision in Smoke by Allyson S. Barkley

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Chiara Vitale Zelaia &A Vision in Smoke by Allyson S. Barkley

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Join the club

Chiara Vitale Zelaia &
A Vision in Smoke by Allyson S. Barkley