ARC Review: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

A Torch Against the Night

An Ember in the Ashes #2 by Sabaa Tahir

Source: ARC provided by Harper Reach, thank you!

GoodReads/ Amazon/ TBD

My Rating: 5 stars

Summary:

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.

*****

I don’t know how to begging to tell you how much I loved this book. It’s not that I loved everything about it, it’s more about that feeling in my gut, that rush to devour every page and love some characters (Elias!) so deeply!

Thanks so much to Harper Reach for the chance to read this book earlier, it was a privilege.

I have to confess, I requested A Torch Against The Night before I read An Ember In the Ashes, because I knew I’d love it. I had a feeling it was for me, but I had no idea it would become the best book I’ve read this year.

A Torch Against The Night was just as brutal and beautifully written as EMBER. Sabaa Tahir once again did a perfect job creating a fast paced read full of twists and turns, betrayals and heartache.

When I read the synopsis I wasn’t sure having a Helene POVs would be wise to the story, but it gives this amazing world a very different perspective and against all odds, it became one of my favorite parts to read. Helene is such a fierce, loyal and loving character.

Even though EMBER had a great character development, TORCH gave our favorite characters a new setting to reveal her weakness and strengths. Some keep making mistakes. Some show their true heart. And some are deeply unmade.

A Torch Against The Night was an action packed roller coaster. The world-building is bigger here. There’s more magic and answers to many questions. But it also has a lot of bloody scenes and gore. It was heartbreaking.

There are so many things I love about this series, but there’s no doubt I love  Elias Veturious the most. I love him to pieces and I just want him happy.

And that’s why this time Laia was my least favorite character half of the book. In so many ways she was selfish and ungrateful. I like her, but I don’t like her very much right now.

But the thing I hated the most was the romance. God, I hated it. I despised that I thought I was free of the love triangle and there it was, again. And the worst part is that it involves Keenan, the only character I hated since book one.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but even if I hated how Laila felt about Keenan, it didn’t ruin the book for me. I loved too many things. And Elias alones deserves all the stars in the world.

A Torch Against The Night was a perfect sequel to such amazing debut. I’m so glad to know there will be more books and I can’t wait to read them.