An Ember In The Ashes
By Sabaa Tahir
Stars: 5
Source: Purchased
When Laia's brother is arrested for treason she has to make a split second decision, stay and fight or run.
Laia runs to save herself but almost instantly regrets her choice.
While looking for a way to free her imprisoned brother she finds herself in the middle of the Resistance. The only way they'll help her and her brother is if she spy's on the Empire from inside their military school and gather useful information.
Elias is a solider within the academy, the most promising and secretly, the most unwilling.
Elias is all set to abandon his ranks and flee the Empires tyranny when he too is forced to make a life changing choice.
When Elias and Laia's path cross they realize they both have more in common than they could have ever imagined and that perhaps, they may be able to help each other escape their chains and finally become free.
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I've read/watched so many reviews for this book and they all seem to have one thing in common.
They usually start off with "I could. Not. Put this book down!"
Well this review isn't any different.
I opened up this book and instantly found myself in ancient Rome (or as close to it as possible).
Laia's character (and her chapters) were slightly slow and off putting at first. She was like a newborn, unsure what to do, where to go, how to act. But as the book went on she developed this... fierceness that had me mentally cheering for her and praying that she would make it out alive.
Elias' chapters (and character) were a little harder. He had this wall up that for his own protection he couldn't allow anyone past, even his closest friends. Hell, even as a reader, seeing his internal struggle and how much he hated being forced to act a certain way I still found myself doubting his true character.
Even thoough this book is 400+ pages I found myself flying through it and staying up well into the early morning hours to finish.
I'm so glad I read this book after the sequel was announced because otherwise I would have been inconsolable.
Sabaa did an amazing job of not only telling an enchanting, thrilling, terrifying story but setting it in a world just close enough to our own that we could see it happening to us.
I cannot wait until the next installment in this series and I hope everyone will go pick themselves up a copy!
Until next time,
Ginger
