colleensreadingadventures's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My reread of An Ember in the Ashes gave me all the feels as much as the first time around. Probably partly because I forgot some of the details…my little brain can only hold so much info! 😁 Still a 5 star read regardless.
The angst, the drama, the adventure and the love triangle were all as good as I remember!
If you still haven’t read this series what are you waiting for?!
__________________________
This book was so amazing! I was absolutely into this book within the first chapter.
It has action, betrayal, close friendships, love interests, supernatural beings, and some crazy sociopathic characters that you love to hate. All this but it didn't feel like too much the way the author went about weaving everything together it just made sense.
The main characters Elias and Laia are on different sides of The Empire.
Laia comes from The Scholars, who were defeated by The Martials and forced to live under their cruel kingdom. They are treated horribly and many taken as slaves for The Martials where they endure torturous conditions. Laias parents have been killed and she and her brother Darin are sent to live with their grandparents.
One night Darin is taken in for interrogations after a Martial raided her home, under the charge of helping The Resistance. The Resistance are renegade Scholar fighters who are trying to take down The Empire. Laia is on the run with no home or family, with only hopes to find The Resistance and to help free her brother before he is killed.
Elias is a Mask in training , one of the deadliest Martial fighters trained for years in the art of war. He comes from a noble line of Martials, he is the fiercest warrior in his class and is also the bastard son of The Commandant, a high ranking official under The Empire. Being the son of The Commandant does not help him succeed because she would like nothing more than her mistake of a son to be dead, how's that for motherly love?
Elias and Laia are sworn enemies by nature by their lives become intertwined as Laia takes on a Resistance assignment to be The Commandants slave girl for information and Elias is trying to find a way to free himself from the hell of becoming a full fledged Mask where he will have to deal with being a cruel & torturing soldier under his bloodthirsty mother and The Martials.
Their destinies seem to be the key to big changes within The Empire the minute they meet and a series of events take place.
After reading this book I can't wait to start the Second in the series, I just wish the third book was scheduled to come out sooner. I love how the author wrapped up a lot of my questions, but not everything which is good because it leaves a good amount of anticipation. Seriously can't wait to read A Totrch Against the Night!! :)
Graphic: Violence and Slavery
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
tea_leaves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, Violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Abandonment, and Torture
Minor: Pregnancy, War, Alcohol, Child death, and Abortion
justapasser's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Death, Xenophobia, Rape, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, and Slavery
princessrory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Child death, Death, Torture, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Confinement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Child abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Grief, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Rape, War, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Bullying, Genocide, Suicide, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Medical content
lydiasturges's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault and Injury/Injury detail
emmakhend's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: War, Violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Xenophobia, Misogyny, and Death
luuley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual harassment, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Grief, Child death, Sexual assault, Genocide, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent and War
Minor: Rape and Suicide
manda_ruthie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The plot was not easily predictable and the author set up some things for future books that I'm interested to see play out. I'll definitely be finishing the series.
Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Blood, Torture, and Sexual violence
charlizardbookboi17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Abandonment, Torture, War, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Grief
joshuasabala's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Sexual assault