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bookswithbets's review
adventurous
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
5.0
betwixt_the_pages's review against another edition
4.0
In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.
Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.
If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate punishment: enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.
- - - - -
Rating: 4/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: great fantasy; intriguing twists to vampires; tons of action and drama; complex, well-written characters; unlikely friendships; realistic relationships and emotional reactions; nail-biting scenes; lots of wit, snark, and entertainment
Huge thanks to Intisar Khanani, Purple Monkey Press, and Xpresso Book Tours for granting me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
People don't—can't—take everything with them when they run. I left Stormwind's home full of clothes and dishes and food, left chickens and goats to fend for themselves. But there's no trace of anything here. Even the entrances stand empty; no doors remain, no shutters to close up the windows, nothing.
No one takes their doors with them.
Going into this read, I wasn't sure what to expect. I really enjoyed Sunbolt, but was also left with a ton of questions and missing plot points that I wasn't sure would be easily wrapped up or explained.
I should not have doubted the brilliance that is Intisar Khanani's mind. This is only the second book I've read by her, but let me tell you—she knows what she's doing. The characters in this sequel are complex, wholly realistic, and beyond entertaining. The snark and sass that comes out of just ONE of these characters is enough to knock you over; the fact that she isn't the only character with such a huge amount of personality could probably light an entire town, if such a power source existed.
I wrap my arms over my chest. “This wasn't always a desert.”
“No. Deserts seem to develop primarily due to human stupidity,” the phoenix says with an edge of contempt.
The prose is gorgeous, melodic, and SO descriptive. You will literally sink into the story...and come out on the other side blinking, wide-eyed, wondering what happened to the time. The action is fast-paced and entertaining. The nail-biting, cringe-worthy moments will keep you in suspense throughout. There aren't very many “plot twists,” which I both enjoyed and didn't—much as I loathe bad plot twists, sometimes books NEED them, you know? However, the plot was so well-thought out, things were revealed in their own time—and that worked.
I think my favorite thing about these books, though, are the relationships. While there were some confusing or vague plot points, the relationships remained realistic and believable. I particularly enjoy the bond between Val and Hitomi—they accept one another as they are, no questions asked, and it's obvious from their interactions that there's a grudging sort of friendship growing between them. The respect Hitomi shows throughout—toward everyone, not just certain groups—shows a side of her personality we might not have been privvy to otherwise. And I LOVE that, even in the worst sort of danger, she sticks to her morals like glue—they aren't even a question for her.
“How is being a boy better?”
Kenta turns a look of pure disbelief on me.
“No one will take notice if you need to run,” Stormwind says pragmatically.
True enough. “I suspect running is something I have a lot of experience with.”
This was an entertaining, awesome read—the fantasy is detailed, the prose gorgeous, and the characters wholly believable. I recommend this to lovers of complex stories, multi-dimensional relationships, and new/adventurous settings. This was a great installment to a pretty awesome series; I can't wait to see what book 3 has planned for these characters!
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
Hitomi does not have it easy in this book. She still suffers from the sunbolt. She is slowly getting her memories back. She is learning magic, but if anyone finds her they will hunt her down. And then they come for Bridgit, whom she lives with. All alone again, what will she do? She really is cursed.
So I get the whole rogue thing, but, I mean Bridgit is teaching her now, could she just not just become one of them? I do not really get why she is still bad then? Why would she have to be like killed or drained of power? She is not a rogue, she has a teacher.
But let's move away from that. This is a book where Hitomi tries to get her teacher back. Where she finds herself again. Where we meet some old friends, and new friends. And I find myself curious about the next book and a certain thing. And then there was that other thing I am SO curious about too. I so want to know THAT thing. But we have to wait until book 3, but I am soooo curious!
Hitomi is not particularly kick-ass in the ass kicking aspect, she is a thinker. She waits, she plans. And she is kind.
Oh...I miss Val. Val is awesome. I have a Val crush.
I look forward to more
So I get the whole rogue thing, but, I mean Bridgit is teaching her now, could she just not just become one of them? I do not really get why she is still bad then? Why would she have to be like killed or drained of power? She is not a rogue, she has a teacher.
But let's move away from that. This is a book where Hitomi tries to get her teacher back. Where she finds herself again. Where we meet some old friends, and new friends. And I find myself curious about the next book and a certain thing. And then there was that other thing I am SO curious about too. I so want to know THAT thing. But we have to wait until book 3, but I am soooo curious!
Hitomi is not particularly kick-ass in the ass kicking aspect, she is a thinker. She waits, she plans. And she is kind.
Oh...I miss Val. Val is awesome. I have a Val crush.
I look forward to more
xiomi's review against another edition
5.0
Love for this author and story
Oh man do I love this author! Her stories are beautifully woven. Each character carefully crafted and deeply alive. Hitomi is such a brave, kind, and humble soul, persevering and fighting to protect the ones she love. She is a true hero to any young girl in the worls. Each twist and turn in the story leads to a beautiful patterned adventure. Lovelovelove!
Oh man do I love this author! Her stories are beautifully woven. Each character carefully crafted and deeply alive. Hitomi is such a brave, kind, and humble soul, persevering and fighting to protect the ones she love. She is a true hero to any young girl in the worls. Each twist and turn in the story leads to a beautiful patterned adventure. Lovelovelove!
charlotekerstenauthor's review against another edition
This was a delight! In my review of Sunbolt I mentioned appreciating its efffectiveness as a novella, but it turns out I am just as happy with a nice, chunky full-length novel about Hitomi too.
Tight pacing, vivid world-building and a compelling writing style all make this a winner in my books, but the most important thing about this series to me is Hitomi herself-she is a character of such determination and principle. I love her strong sense of morality and seeing the ripple effects of her integrity throughout the course of this book was a real pleasure.
Highly recommended for lovers of YA fantasy!
Tight pacing, vivid world-building and a compelling writing style all make this a winner in my books, but the most important thing about this series to me is Hitomi herself-she is a character of such determination and principle. I love her strong sense of morality and seeing the ripple effects of her integrity throughout the course of this book was a real pleasure.
Highly recommended for lovers of YA fantasy!
rebeccazh's review against another edition
This was fantastic. Intisar Khanani has quickly established herself as one of my favorite authors after the awesome [b:Sunbolt|18075001|Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles, #1)|Intisar Khanani|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371269696s/18075001.jpg|23985976] and now Memories of Ash.
This book was SO good. Everything was good. The world was intriguing and complex; I loved seeing more of it. In this book, Hitomi travels to other regions and it's SUCH a pleasure learning about the rich and varied cultures in the book. You could easily tell which real world culture the author drew inspiration from, and it was really respectful and careful. I really loved that. The writing was good -- certain descriptions were particularly lyrical; the descriptions of working magic in particular are so evocative. (I love the magic system in this world.)
And the characters and the relationships!! I love Hitomi. She's moral, soft, firm, kind. There's a strength to her that lies in her firm morality and compassion. Hitomi reminded of [a:Ilona Andrews|21748|Ilona Andrews|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1219436898p2/21748.jpg]'s Kate Daniels because of how they are both protectors and rescuers, and how they cleave to their morals and compassion when tested. I love reading about characters like that. She also reminds me of the narrative arc of [b:The Goblin Emperor|17910048|The Goblin Emperor|Katherine Addison|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373039517s/17910048.jpg|24241248]'s Maia -- it's less about learning to become a better person, and more about finding a place in the world, forming relationships, gaining a found family. And that's exactly what happens to Hitomi. I really love narratives like that. Hitomi's growing relationships are wonderful to read. I'm especially curious about Val. I wonder where the author is going with it.
Anyway, this was a great book and I felt so happy reading this. I can't wait for the last book.
This book was SO good. Everything was good. The world was intriguing and complex; I loved seeing more of it. In this book, Hitomi travels to other regions and it's SUCH a pleasure learning about the rich and varied cultures in the book. You could easily tell which real world culture the author drew inspiration from, and it was really respectful and careful. I really loved that. The writing was good -- certain descriptions were particularly lyrical; the descriptions of working magic in particular are so evocative. (I love the magic system in this world.)
And the characters and the relationships!! I love Hitomi. She's moral, soft, firm, kind. There's a strength to her that lies in her firm morality and compassion. Hitomi reminded of [a:Ilona Andrews|21748|Ilona Andrews|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1219436898p2/21748.jpg]'s Kate Daniels because of how they are both protectors and rescuers, and how they cleave to their morals and compassion when tested. I love reading about characters like that. She also reminds me of the narrative arc of [b:The Goblin Emperor|17910048|The Goblin Emperor|Katherine Addison|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373039517s/17910048.jpg|24241248]'s Maia -- it's less about learning to become a better person, and more about finding a place in the world, forming relationships, gaining a found family. And that's exactly what happens to Hitomi. I really love narratives like that. Hitomi's growing relationships are wonderful to read. I'm especially curious about Val. I wonder where the author is going with it.
Anyway, this was a great book and I felt so happy reading this. I can't wait for the last book.
elihinze's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out of 5
Wow, what a ride! Even through finals week, I still set aside time every day to read this lovely second installment in the Sunbolt Chronicles.
This book is a very unique one, for a whole host of reasons. It doesn't fall into the second-book-slump that I'm sure many of us are familiar with; it expounds upon the world its set in at length; it actually has unique cultures and peoples within that world (plus! diverse! cast!)--and so on. While Memories of Ash is not nearly as fast-paced as Sunbolt was, this is not a bad thing by any means. It has a steady, undulating pace about it that is equal parts ferocious and beautiful. There is also considerably more involvement with the politics of Hitomi's world, plus exploring new (and sometimes deadly) lands, laying out the beginnings of what will no doubt be an epic struggle with conflict on all sides.
My one reservation with MoA is that I would have liked a bit of a more tangible climax at the end, as was a bit quick and without much obstacle. However, she's definitely not out of the woods yet!
Overall, I highly recommend this book to all fans of fantasy, quality literature, diverse books, and intrigue.
Wow, what a ride! Even through finals week, I still set aside time every day to read this lovely second installment in the Sunbolt Chronicles.
This book is a very unique one, for a whole host of reasons. It doesn't fall into the second-book-slump that I'm sure many of us are familiar with; it expounds upon the world its set in at length; it actually has unique cultures and peoples within that world (plus! diverse! cast!)--and so on. While Memories of Ash is not nearly as fast-paced as Sunbolt was, this is not a bad thing by any means. It has a steady, undulating pace about it that is equal parts ferocious and beautiful. There is also considerably more involvement with the politics of Hitomi's world, plus exploring new (and sometimes deadly) lands, laying out the beginnings of what will no doubt be an epic struggle with conflict on all sides.
My one reservation with MoA is that I would have liked a bit of a more tangible climax at the end, as
Spoiler
I felt that Hitomi being caught and her eventual escape via phoenixOverall, I highly recommend this book to all fans of fantasy, quality literature, diverse books, and intrigue.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani is the second book in the Sunbolt Chronicles series. I just happened across book one earlier this year and was completely impressed with both the writing and the story.
This book picks up shortly after Sunbolt left off and as I began this one, I pulled right back into Hitomi’s story. Just when you think things might be getting a bit better for Hitomi, the High Council summons Stormwind to stand trial for treason. They both know that Stormwind has to go but she doesn’t leave Hitomi empty handed. As Stormwind heads to face the council, Hitomi holds back until she knows for sure what Stormwind is facing. Once things head the wrong way and Hitomi confirms that Blackflame is sending mages to find out who is on the otherside of the mirror Stormwind had, she decides she will do whatever it takes to save Stormwind, even if that puts her directly in the path of Blackflame.
One of the things I love in these books is the character development. Hitomi is the main character we follow throughout but as she is on her journey, she crosses paths with so many that make an impact on her. Khanani does a fantastic job of providing more than just the introduction and high level interaction with these characters. Both the bad guys and the good guys are well-developed and help to move the story forward.
Hitomi herself is strong and daring. I love that she is willing to do whatever she needs to in order to protect the people she cares about. It was very clear in Sunbolt when she routinely sacrificed her safety for her friends and it is just as apparent in this book when she does something similar. On the other side, I think her friends are just as selfless and do what they can to help and protect Hitomi but she doesn’t always let them do so as much as they would like.
Khanani did a great job of introducing new characters into the story but she has also brought back some favorites from Sunbolt and I was super happy to see them show up on the pages. I’m hopeful we will see more of them throughout the rest of the series and look forward to seeing where their stories intersect.
Of course, magic plays a large role in this series and it is mixed in so well to the story that while it is a central piece of the story, it doesn’t overtake the character driven aspects. The characters continue to keep me turning the pages and the magic is one piece of the entire puzzle that makes it interesting and engaging.
I can’t say a lot about what actually happens in this book as there is A LOT and if you haven’t read book one yet I don’t want to ruin anything. With that said, you should definitely go read these books as they are available at a good price and totally worth it. If you are looking for a solid fantasy that weaves in solid characters, some magic, and strong friendships, consider picking these up. I am glad I found them and definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to the author for the review copy!
This book picks up shortly after Sunbolt left off and as I began this one, I pulled right back into Hitomi’s story. Just when you think things might be getting a bit better for Hitomi, the High Council summons Stormwind to stand trial for treason. They both know that Stormwind has to go but she doesn’t leave Hitomi empty handed. As Stormwind heads to face the council, Hitomi holds back until she knows for sure what Stormwind is facing. Once things head the wrong way and Hitomi confirms that Blackflame is sending mages to find out who is on the otherside of the mirror Stormwind had, she decides she will do whatever it takes to save Stormwind, even if that puts her directly in the path of Blackflame.
One of the things I love in these books is the character development. Hitomi is the main character we follow throughout but as she is on her journey, she crosses paths with so many that make an impact on her. Khanani does a fantastic job of providing more than just the introduction and high level interaction with these characters. Both the bad guys and the good guys are well-developed and help to move the story forward.
Hitomi herself is strong and daring. I love that she is willing to do whatever she needs to in order to protect the people she cares about. It was very clear in Sunbolt when she routinely sacrificed her safety for her friends and it is just as apparent in this book when she does something similar. On the other side, I think her friends are just as selfless and do what they can to help and protect Hitomi but she doesn’t always let them do so as much as they would like.
Khanani did a great job of introducing new characters into the story but she has also brought back some favorites from Sunbolt and I was super happy to see them show up on the pages. I’m hopeful we will see more of them throughout the rest of the series and look forward to seeing where their stories intersect.
Of course, magic plays a large role in this series and it is mixed in so well to the story that while it is a central piece of the story, it doesn’t overtake the character driven aspects. The characters continue to keep me turning the pages and the magic is one piece of the entire puzzle that makes it interesting and engaging.
I can’t say a lot about what actually happens in this book as there is A LOT and if you haven’t read book one yet I don’t want to ruin anything. With that said, you should definitely go read these books as they are available at a good price and totally worth it. If you are looking for a solid fantasy that weaves in solid characters, some magic, and strong friendships, consider picking these up. I am glad I found them and definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to the author for the review copy!
joliendelandsheer's review
5.0
Review first published on my blog The Fictional Reader
I read the first book in this series, Sunbolt, a little over a year ago. Because I read quite a bit (by my standards at least) I sometimes have a hard time remembering what happened in one of the books I read a while ago. So I was quite apprehensive when starting this sequel. Yet when I truly thought about it, I could sketch the big lines of the plot (of the first book) right up until the end. That’s quite a feat for me really. And I remember truly enjoying the book, even though I thought it was too short (apparently it was supposed to be a short story at first). I’m so happy to say that I enjoyed the second book even more (and that it is much longer)!
WORLD
I do not wish to spoil anything, even for those who haven’t picked up the first book. So I’ll keep my review brief. In this book, Hitomi travels quite a bit. I love it when main characters travel throughout lands because it truly allows you to get to know the world, which is especially important in fantasy novels. I liked getting to know the different cultures this world has. The different types of people, and creatures, and their ways were so interesting. What people in this world seem to value very highly? Honor. It may show in different ways, depending on the culture, but everyone (well…. most people) values honorable behavior.
PLOT
This book is fast-paced, just like Sunbolt was. I was captivated by it, glued to my screen really. As a result, I now have to wear my glasses because my sight has gone blurry. This story contains so much action, that it is an absolute joy to follow Hitomi’s journey. I was never bored, and never wanted to skim any part. I know it sounds horrible, but you know what I mean. Sometimes, at a certain point in a story, you think to yourself: come on, I want to get to the good stuff! That didn’t happen here.
Like in the last book, I love that not all her plans turn out well. It’s important to fail I think, otherwise you will never actually learn anything. But when it happened, I found myself reading ferociously, thinking “please let her get out of this”. There is no doubt I will be needing the third book, because that ending left me wanting so much more.
I also want to say that I’m happy this book revolves mostly around Hitomi’s journey, her friends and loved ones and her figuring out her powers. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance. But there is no pushing one in this book. I think I can see one that could be developed in the next book(s?), but for now everything is taken slowly -and it’s definitely not the focus of the story.
CHARACTER
I’ll only talk about Hitomi, because mentioning the other characters is sort of a spoiler in itself? I hope you’ll understand. Suffice it to say, I love all of them -aside from Blackflame, I despise him.
Hitomi grows a lot in this book. Due to the circumstances in the previous book, she has a lot of room for growth. I liked that there was quite a bit of time between the ending of the first book and the start of this one, because it allowed the story to flow better. There are several things I love about Hitomi, but I mainly love these two aspects: she is incredibly loyal to those who show kindness, and she is strong but not only in a physical way. I love that she doesn’t resort to violence to get out of a situation, unless there is no other choice. She accomplishes a lot through kindness and intelligence. I think that’s an important lesson. I admire her a lot.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this series. If you haven’t read it, please go pick up Sunbolt. I know it’s very short, but you’ll have Memories of Ash to make up for that! I think this is a captivating story, with a heroine I can truly admire.
I read the first book in this series, Sunbolt, a little over a year ago. Because I read quite a bit (by my standards at least) I sometimes have a hard time remembering what happened in one of the books I read a while ago. So I was quite apprehensive when starting this sequel. Yet when I truly thought about it, I could sketch the big lines of the plot (of the first book) right up until the end. That’s quite a feat for me really. And I remember truly enjoying the book, even though I thought it was too short (apparently it was supposed to be a short story at first). I’m so happy to say that I enjoyed the second book even more (and that it is much longer)!
WORLD
I do not wish to spoil anything, even for those who haven’t picked up the first book. So I’ll keep my review brief. In this book, Hitomi travels quite a bit. I love it when main characters travel throughout lands because it truly allows you to get to know the world, which is especially important in fantasy novels. I liked getting to know the different cultures this world has. The different types of people, and creatures, and their ways were so interesting. What people in this world seem to value very highly? Honor. It may show in different ways, depending on the culture, but everyone (well…. most people) values honorable behavior.
PLOT
This book is fast-paced, just like Sunbolt was. I was captivated by it, glued to my screen really. As a result, I now have to wear my glasses because my sight has gone blurry. This story contains so much action, that it is an absolute joy to follow Hitomi’s journey. I was never bored, and never wanted to skim any part. I know it sounds horrible, but you know what I mean. Sometimes, at a certain point in a story, you think to yourself: come on, I want to get to the good stuff! That didn’t happen here.
Like in the last book, I love that not all her plans turn out well. It’s important to fail I think, otherwise you will never actually learn anything. But when it happened, I found myself reading ferociously, thinking “please let her get out of this”. There is no doubt I will be needing the third book, because that ending left me wanting so much more.
I also want to say that I’m happy this book revolves mostly around Hitomi’s journey, her friends and loved ones and her figuring out her powers. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance. But there is no pushing one in this book. I think I can see one that could be developed in the next book(s?), but for now everything is taken slowly -and it’s definitely not the focus of the story.
CHARACTER
I’ll only talk about Hitomi, because mentioning the other characters is sort of a spoiler in itself? I hope you’ll understand. Suffice it to say, I love all of them -aside from Blackflame, I despise him.
Hitomi grows a lot in this book. Due to the circumstances in the previous book, she has a lot of room for growth. I liked that there was quite a bit of time between the ending of the first book and the start of this one, because it allowed the story to flow better. There are several things I love about Hitomi, but I mainly love these two aspects: she is incredibly loyal to those who show kindness, and she is strong but not only in a physical way. I love that she doesn’t resort to violence to get out of a situation, unless there is no other choice. She accomplishes a lot through kindness and intelligence. I think that’s an important lesson. I admire her a lot.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this series. If you haven’t read it, please go pick up Sunbolt. I know it’s very short, but you’ll have Memories of Ash to make up for that! I think this is a captivating story, with a heroine I can truly admire.