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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
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
what a bittersweet ending...
this is by far my favorite series. I love how well the story was written—and the characters too. there are multiple POVs, and with each one, you get a different story. the way sabaa tahir weaves pain and hope together is beyond words. every chapter felt like a punch to the gut and a warm embrace at the same time. her writing doesn’t just tell a story—it makes you feel it, live it. i found myself grieving with the characters, holding my breath during their battles, and rooting for their peace like it was my own. its rare to come across a series that leaves such a lasting ache in your chest—beautiful, raw, unforgettable.
“Emifal Firdaant” ❤️🔥
this is by far my favorite series. I love how well the story was written—and the characters too. there are multiple POVs, and with each one, you get a different story. the way sabaa tahir weaves pain and hope together is beyond words. every chapter felt like a punch to the gut and a warm embrace at the same time. her writing doesn’t just tell a story—it makes you feel it, live it. i found myself grieving with the characters, holding my breath during their battles, and rooting for their peace like it was my own. its rare to come across a series that leaves such a lasting ache in your chest—beautiful, raw, unforgettable.
“Emifal Firdaant” ❤️🔥
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved how this wrapped out the series. The ending felt very realistic but in general still saddening. Really loved how the author decided to end this series. My only gripe is I wanted more interactions between the characters i loved
SO GOOD. I haven’t read a series this good in a long time, and I enjoyed every single second of it. The emotion, the plot twists, the anticipation, the beauty- this was amazing. 10/10, no notes, please read this series. Every character has a place in my heart, and every one of their stories was so well-written. This series wasn’t afraid to do what needed to be done in terms of setting up the scale, as well as the consequences that so many stories shy away from, in fear of making beloved characters suffer. The choices made in the plot were what made the story, and I’m so glad I finally read it.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
I loved this, such a great ending but so sad to see it end.
'A Sky Beyond the Storm' is the fourth and final instalment in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes Series. Taking place a few months after the end of 'A Reaper at the Gates' tension is high for everyone as battles are being fought across the Empire. As their numbers dwindle and things look bleak Laia of Serra and the Blood Shrike have banded together for if they have any hope of defeating the powerful Jinn they know they must work as a team. But how to defeat the Nightbringer is something most can not agree upon. The Soul Catcher fights his own battle with the oath he made Mauth, not to go against his duty but he sees now to carry out his work he needs to look beyond his forrest to events that are happening for he needs to discover where the ghosts are going.
spoilers
This is so morbid and weird sounding but what I loved about this series was never being sure who would survive, who dies and how it's all going to fit together. A lot of times books become not so much a formula but it becomes easy to see who will survive if only because fans will revolt at their death. And I understand that, when Harper and Darin died I wanted to revolt but it's also what makes me love the book so much. The not knowing, the tension and high stakes.
One thing that wasn't tense or felt like high stakes was Elias, if there was one major downer it would be him and his boring chapters. I liked the arch of him becoming the soul catcher and me trying to figure out how this would work in book two, then in the third it was downright boring and I was waiting not so patiently for it to get figured out and for Elias' arch to continue but it stayed stopped, he's stuck and its not fun to watch. Then this book its so murky and for lack of a better way to describe it lacklustre. There was not much fun in his anguish and this coming from someone who enjoys the shock and heart ache of characters dying.
I feel almost as though the Rehnamt and Laia bit was a last minute throw in, I guess it made the end poetic but I felt like it came out of nowheres, this sudden eye color magic descendant thing. I liked how she got to be the one because she stood up to the Nightbringer but I felt like it made her too powerful at times that was unbelievably convenient, which made that annoying. I do have to say that I kinda liked how the whole she doesnt listen dives right in and none of her plans work out was a continuing theme all the way through in that if only she had stopped and listened to anyone that maybe she shouldn't kill him and then loads wouldn't have died, but then thinking how else would you stop him then?
A complete flip from the first book but Helene's chapters were my favourite, it wasn't all her though, I loved Harper and Musa and she had the best side hustle of plot out of the three. I get how it makes sense for her to be Empress, especially with the back story of how Keris and the first Emperor did it through being a leader on the battlefield but it felt so off for her character. Which is odd to think considering this all started where she had a 1/4 chance of becoming the Emperor in the trials.
Anyway I can't wait to read Heir.
'A Sky Beyond the Storm' is the fourth and final instalment in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes Series. Taking place a few months after the end of 'A Reaper at the Gates' tension is high for everyone as battles are being fought across the Empire. As their numbers dwindle and things look bleak Laia of Serra and the Blood Shrike have banded together for if they have any hope of defeating the powerful Jinn they know they must work as a team. But how to defeat the Nightbringer is something most can not agree upon. The Soul Catcher fights his own battle with the oath he made Mauth, not to go against his duty but he sees now to carry out his work he needs to look beyond his forrest to events that are happening for he needs to discover where the ghosts are going.
spoilers
This is so morbid and weird sounding but what I loved about this series was never being sure who would survive, who dies and how it's all going to fit together. A lot of times books become not so much a formula but it becomes easy to see who will survive if only because fans will revolt at their death. And I understand that, when Harper and Darin died I wanted to revolt but it's also what makes me love the book so much. The not knowing, the tension and high stakes.
One thing that wasn't tense or felt like high stakes was Elias, if there was one major downer it would be him and his boring chapters. I liked the arch of him becoming the soul catcher and me trying to figure out how this would work in book two, then in the third it was downright boring and I was waiting not so patiently for it to get figured out and for Elias' arch to continue but it stayed stopped, he's stuck and its not fun to watch. Then this book its so murky and for lack of a better way to describe it lacklustre. There was not much fun in his anguish and this coming from someone who enjoys the shock and heart ache of characters dying.
I feel almost as though the Rehnamt and Laia bit was a last minute throw in, I guess it made the end poetic but I felt like it came out of nowheres, this sudden eye color magic descendant thing. I liked how she got to be the one because she stood up to the Nightbringer but I felt like it made her too powerful at times that was unbelievably convenient, which made that annoying. I do have to say that I kinda liked how the whole she doesnt listen dives right in and none of her plans work out was a continuing theme all the way through in that if only she had stopped and listened to anyone that maybe she shouldn't kill him and then loads wouldn't have died, but then thinking how else would you stop him then?
A complete flip from the first book but Helene's chapters were my favourite, it wasn't all her though, I loved Harper and Musa and she had the best side hustle of plot out of the three. I get how it makes sense for her to be Empress, especially with the back story of how Keris and the first Emperor did it through being a leader on the battlefield but it felt so off for her character. Which is odd to think considering this all started where she had a 1/4 chance of becoming the Emperor in the trials.
Anyway I can't wait to read Heir.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir @sabaatahir
What to say, what to say. This story follows the events of a war ending in a face off between the Nightbringer and the rest of our beloved characters. This book was action packed and fast paced. There are multiple POV which led to the overall view of the same story. We get some additional views from Karis and the Nightbringer which I enjoyed quite a bit. Overall, I think this book did a good job tying up loose ends and completing the series.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I don't think I would reread this because it just didn't hit hard enough for me to leave me wanting. I would recommend this if you've already the previous books.
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir @sabaatahir
What to say, what to say. This story follows the events of a war ending in a face off between the Nightbringer and the rest of our beloved characters. This book was action packed and fast paced. There are multiple POV which led to the overall view of the same story. We get some additional views from Karis and the Nightbringer which I enjoyed quite a bit. Overall, I think this book did a good job tying up loose ends and completing the series.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I don't think I would reread this because it just didn't hit hard enough for me to leave me wanting. I would recommend this if you've already the previous books.
how to give 20 stars
genuinely might be one of the best books i’ve ever read how dare you sabaa tahir i am literally in your walls. every character here is so precious i am going to cry just thinking about them
SUCH A GOOD SERIES
genuinely might be one of the best books i’ve ever read how dare you sabaa tahir i am literally in your walls. every character here is so precious i am going to cry just thinking about them
SUCH A GOOD SERIES
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
“You’ve done terrible things? So have I. We were born into war, Elias. It is all we’ve known. Your mistakes only define the rest of your life if you let them. Don’t let them.”
When I first started the Ember series back in late 2016, I knew it was going to be a different level of YA fantasy. There was just something about how Tahir wrote the characters that hit a little differently. I could tell from right off the bat that the lore and the worldbuilding was going to be immaculate, crafted with the level of skill that comes from a strong passion. The first two books of the series were great, but then the atmosphere of it all changed with the third. Tahir was really trying to emphasize the stakes of what was going on and just how serious all of it was, and I felt that when I started the third. I felt it even more when I opened the fourth and final book of the series, A Sky Beyond the Storm.
Spoilers ahead for the first three books of the Ember series (none for this one).
This book blew me away. I don’t know how Tahir did it (well, yes, I do – she’s an astounding writer) but she managed to pack every single one of this book’s 464 pages with action, emotion, and love. It picks up five months after the end of A Reaper at the Gates, yet despite all the time that has passed, I never felt like I was missing out on anything. Usually time jumps leave me feeling a little lost, like the characters have done important things during that gap that I wasn’t privy to, but this didn’t have those vibes at all.
One of my favorite parts of this series is how Tahir utilizes the points of view. In this one, Helene is ‘The Blood Shrike,’ Elias is ‘The Soul Catcher,’ and Laia is simply Laia. They change throughout the story, as they have in the previous books, and it’s a very subtle yet useful tool in terms of character development. And ho boy, there is so much to talk about with this book’s character development.
All three of our MCs are given wonderful chances to grow and learn without being attached to their significant other or otherwise depending on someone else to make them grow. First, Helene. She wrestles so much with vulnerability and how to love people, yet it isn’t in the cringey “I can’t ever let anybody in” way. It feels so genuine and heartbreaking coming from her, and as a result, her storyline is an emotional journey with an action-packed background. Helene has always been my favorite, so I’m glad she was given just as much attention as Laia and Elias (although she isn’t on the cover, for some dumbshit reason. She literally has a third of the book dedicated to her??).
Laia goes through some really hard times in this book and I think that she learns what it means to be a leader, and to persevere. Of course, she had these attributes earlier on in the series, but after the events of book 3, she’s matured quite a bit and it’s very easy to tell. She’s a lot wiser yet she’s still driven by the passion and love that makes her Laia of Serra.
I’ve always been somewhat indifferent to Elias, but he was really fascinating in this book. He’s become the Soul Catcher, and as an aftereffect of that, all his memories of his ‘human’ life have been wiped away by Mauth (death, and his boss). Of course, this is an extremely tragic event for all of us Laia/Elias fans, but fear not. There is plenty of sadness, hope, anger, relief, and a million other emotions throughout their storyline here. Romance aside, Elias has to learn how to reconcile the Soul Catcher with his former life and the memories that keep trying to break through, and how to balance this Soul duty that he really values with what Laia, Helene, and the world at war are asking of him. By the end, I really loved Elias and his quiet, emphatic character. Like everyone else, he has grown immensely.
As I said in the beginning, this story has very urgent, moody, end-of-the-world vibes to it that are heavily emphasized, and you’re reminded of just how dire things are with every single page. The plot twists are fantastic and totally unpredictable, and they’re incorporated in a way that feels very natural and streamlined. The whole thing is absolutely devastating, too. I was at about a 4-star rating throughout the book, and then I got to the last 15% and I was just weeping the entire time. The last chunk is brutal, and it’s worth reading the entire book just for that part alone. The storylines are beautiful, as usual, woven together with precision and excitement. Even though this world has already been created, Tahir still manages to make it intriguing and vivid with the way she writes.
While I disagree with a few aspects of the ending, that’s just personal opinion. Objectively, A Sky Beyond the Storm is a fast-paced, emotional conclusion to the Ember series that Tahir has poured her heart and soul into. These characters aren’t likely to leave my mind anytime soon, and I’m glad that I had the chance to know them. I’d highly recommend Ember to pretty much anyone who has ever read a smidge of YA fantasy before – although maybe don’t read it as your intro to the genre, because you’re going to be disappointed in everything you read afterwards.
When I first started the Ember series back in late 2016, I knew it was going to be a different level of YA fantasy. There was just something about how Tahir wrote the characters that hit a little differently. I could tell from right off the bat that the lore and the worldbuilding was going to be immaculate, crafted with the level of skill that comes from a strong passion. The first two books of the series were great, but then the atmosphere of it all changed with the third. Tahir was really trying to emphasize the stakes of what was going on and just how serious all of it was, and I felt that when I started the third. I felt it even more when I opened the fourth and final book of the series, A Sky Beyond the Storm.
Spoilers ahead for the first three books of the Ember series (none for this one).
This book blew me away. I don’t know how Tahir did it (well, yes, I do – she’s an astounding writer) but she managed to pack every single one of this book’s 464 pages with action, emotion, and love. It picks up five months after the end of A Reaper at the Gates, yet despite all the time that has passed, I never felt like I was missing out on anything. Usually time jumps leave me feeling a little lost, like the characters have done important things during that gap that I wasn’t privy to, but this didn’t have those vibes at all.
One of my favorite parts of this series is how Tahir utilizes the points of view. In this one, Helene is ‘The Blood Shrike,’ Elias is ‘The Soul Catcher,’ and Laia is simply Laia. They change throughout the story, as they have in the previous books, and it’s a very subtle yet useful tool in terms of character development. And ho boy, there is so much to talk about with this book’s character development.
All three of our MCs are given wonderful chances to grow and learn without being attached to their significant other or otherwise depending on someone else to make them grow. First, Helene. She wrestles so much with vulnerability and how to love people, yet it isn’t in the cringey “I can’t ever let anybody in” way. It feels so genuine and heartbreaking coming from her, and as a result, her storyline is an emotional journey with an action-packed background. Helene has always been my favorite, so I’m glad she was given just as much attention as Laia and Elias (although she isn’t on the cover, for some dumbshit reason. She literally has a third of the book dedicated to her??).
Laia goes through some really hard times in this book and I think that she learns what it means to be a leader, and to persevere. Of course, she had these attributes earlier on in the series, but after the events of book 3, she’s matured quite a bit and it’s very easy to tell. She’s a lot wiser yet she’s still driven by the passion and love that makes her Laia of Serra.
I’ve always been somewhat indifferent to Elias, but he was really fascinating in this book. He’s become the Soul Catcher, and as an aftereffect of that, all his memories of his ‘human’ life have been wiped away by Mauth (death, and his boss). Of course, this is an extremely tragic event for all of us Laia/Elias fans, but fear not. There is plenty of sadness, hope, anger, relief, and a million other emotions throughout their storyline here. Romance aside, Elias has to learn how to reconcile the Soul Catcher with his former life and the memories that keep trying to break through, and how to balance this Soul duty that he really values with what Laia, Helene, and the world at war are asking of him. By the end, I really loved Elias and his quiet, emphatic character. Like everyone else, he has grown immensely.
As I said in the beginning, this story has very urgent, moody, end-of-the-world vibes to it that are heavily emphasized, and you’re reminded of just how dire things are with every single page. The plot twists are fantastic and totally unpredictable, and they’re incorporated in a way that feels very natural and streamlined. The whole thing is absolutely devastating, too. I was at about a 4-star rating throughout the book, and then I got to the last 15% and I was just weeping the entire time. The last chunk is brutal, and it’s worth reading the entire book just for that part alone. The storylines are beautiful, as usual, woven together with precision and excitement. Even though this world has already been created, Tahir still manages to make it intriguing and vivid with the way she writes.
While I disagree with a few aspects of the ending, that’s just personal opinion. Objectively, A Sky Beyond the Storm is a fast-paced, emotional conclusion to the Ember series that Tahir has poured her heart and soul into. These characters aren’t likely to leave my mind anytime soon, and I’m glad that I had the chance to know them. I’d highly recommend Ember to pretty much anyone who has ever read a smidge of YA fantasy before – although maybe don’t read it as your intro to the genre, because you’re going to be disappointed in everything you read afterwards.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated