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

This book was dark and violent but believe the start to a great story. This starts about a girl thrown into conflict larger than simply finding and saving her brother and a boy who is trying to escape the expectations and confines of his life. She is adamant to find her brother but constantly is navigating who her true allies are and how to complete the requests from everyone around her. He is constantly navigating between the "mask" he wears for everyone and who he wants/wishes to be.

The Dual POVs made the story progress faster. Was nice to see when the 2 main characters weren't interacting how their actions and inactions impacted each other.

At times could truly feel her worry and anxiety through the pages.

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risten's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

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yasmin96's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

4.75

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sahramahtab's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

Sabaa Tahir's "An Ember in the Ashes" is a poignant journey that managed to draw tears — something that very few books manage to achieve. The story is a tapestry of characters, with Laia and Elias at the forefront, each layering complexity to the narrative. Their authenticity makes it impossible not to invest emotionally, and I found myself eagerly rooting for their struggles and triumphs. The desire for interactions between them kept me turning page after page. The supporting characters add depth to the story, although

Helene's actions left me perplexed, creating a sense of frustration. Keenan's intentions remain shrouded in mystery,

adding an intriguing layer that begs further exploration. Yet, the unresolved mysteries have me hooked, and without a doubt, I'm sprinting to grab the sequel.

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lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

I have had this book on my shelves for years, and finally made the time to read it.
"An Ember in the Ashes" is the first book in a high stakes fantasy series, and stars Laia and Elias. Laia is a slave, and after witnessing the brutal murder of her family, she is determined to do whatever it takes to get her brother back. Laia's brother was arrested and placed into prison after being accused of treason, so, Laia seeks help from the only group she believes can assist her: the rebels. Elias is a solider, but he is not in a much better place than Laia. Elias dreams of his own freedom and is planning to leave his oppressive life as soon as he graduates. When the pair meets, they quickly realize they have much more in common than they initially thought, and they may be able to help one another.
I was not expecting to be so captivated by this story, but I was! I devoured this book, and I cannot wait to pick up the sequel. Laia is such a strong character, and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. Her love for her brother is admirable, and even when she continued to learn things about her family that she had no idea about, she remained fearless and focused on her mission to free her brother.
Elias was an equally interesting character to read from. He could have so easily fallen into his life and accepted his fate, but he did not believe in the Empire's mission, so he planned to escape. He is so intelligent and good-hearted.
I loved the scenes with Elias and Laia together. Two strong characters who feed off of each other so well was captivating, and their chemistry really comes off of the page. I am dying to see where their story goes in the next book!
This was my first book from Sabaa Tahir, but I have heard for years how talented a writer she is. I am thoroughly impressed with her talent, and I was shocked to see that this book was a debut. Sabaa has immense talent for storytelling, but more importantly, world building. This world felt so real to me, but I never felt like the book was info dumping.
I HIGHLY recommend starting this series if you have not!

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