Set in a rich, high-fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, Sabaa Tahir's AN EMBER IN THE ASHES told the story of Laia, a slave fighting for her family, and Elias, a young soldier fighting for his freedom.

Now, in A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT, Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf the Empire s most secure and dangerous prison to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene Elias s former friend and the Empire s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape...and kill them both."

4.5 ★

This book starts off right where we were left last book. So if it has been a while since you read book one it might be helpful to read a recap or something like that, because it throws you right back into it.

In this book we’re also getting Helene’s POV and I really liked that. She was a important character from book and now we get to know her better and see her thought which I really liked.

I wasn’t sure about her in the first book, but now I really do like her and feel for her. I think out of all of them she had the toughest journey. Laia….. umm I’m torn when it comes to her. Sometimes I can’t stand her and other times I feel bad for her. She definitely grows in this book but still sometimes it feels she is not sure of anything or herself. Sometimes she is like she doesn’t know anything and unsure and other times she almost seems overconfident. I think that was part of me not really likening her at times.

Elias, I liked him and he also had a rough time in this book, but I think he handled it pretty good…… for the most part. I’m super curious to see what will become of him.

I thought the beginning of this book was a bit slow but oh boy did it pick up, the last half of this book I read though in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down.  This book also gave me emotional whiplash for sure. There are so many twist that will make your head spin. It’s filled with action, betrayal, shocking discoveries , heartbreak. The last few chapters were brutal not just the onslaught but also emotionally.

I honestly have to say though sometimes I had a Game of Thrones flashback   in some scenes.

Yes, there is romance but I don’t think it takes the foreground all that much. In some parts it is important but others not at all.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot. I rate it 4.5 ★

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Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

I finally got to this book that been sitting on my shelf forever and I’m so happy I did.  I really enjoyed this book, it was a bit different from what I thought it be but that made it even a bit better.

I really enjoyed this setting, its dark, twisted and cruel world they live in but it was fun to follow them and see how they will survive,  if they survive.

The first half was a bit slower as far as word building and character introduction but I actually in this case really enjoyed the slower pace. It didn’t give you the feeling of too much info dumping which was nice.

The book has duel POV, Elias and Laia , but we get an even bigger view into their world from each of them . Elias the soldiers and other view and Laia the slaves and some of the resistance, both are not pretty but fun to follow each and their journeys.

I really enjoyed the characters for the most part, I liked Elias right away, but Laia took a bit getting used to not sure why. But I ended up liking her. I also liked Helene very much, there were a few I wasn’t sure about and that I didn’t trust as much, and still don’t at the end but we shall see.

The romance I wasn’t sure what we get … a love triangle, love quadrangle or what….. I had some theories but that got squashed shockingly like a bug on the windshield.

There are some pretty good plot twists some will give you whiplash, some I saw coming others really surprised me.  We also get plenty of action and some heart breaking moments.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what happens next.  This was a great first book into a new series that I really enjoyed.

I rate it 4 ★

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Oh wow that last half of this book was brutal .... 

I hope Marcus dies a slow painful death 

I really like that we are getting Helene's POV i t his book :)