Reviews with content warning for Rape - An Ember in the Ashes

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

321 reviews

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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colleensreadingadventures's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

Update 9/5/23

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!! :)

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chaptersofamylea's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Second read, August 2023:

'Tell us a story. Something scary', 'Life isn't scary enough for you, girl?'

3.5/4 ⭐️

I read this book for the first time years ago and I remember absolutely devouring it and the sequel in quick succession. I remember vividly loving it but I found it a bit of a slog this time. I think thats a me thing and not the book though. Its still as dark and gritty as I remember, and unique in its own way. Fast paced, good plot and interesting characters, I think just some of it fell short for me this time. I’d still recommend it though.

TWs: violence, death of parents, ref to torture, attempted r*pe

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