#Review - An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir

Rating:

                     4.5/5 Book Emojis

This review is a proud part of the A Torch Against The Night Global Book Tour hosted by Penguin Random House International

Format:

Paperback (446 pages)

Audiobook 

"Life is made of many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after" - @sabaatahir 🌈 #CurrentlyReading this beauty by the extremely talented @sabaatahir 💖 Blurb: 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. ................................................ P.S. Artwork credit goes to @eviebookish Tags: #anemberintheashes #torchstagram #atorchagainstthenight #Bibliophile #BookstagramIndia #BookNerd #Book #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #YaLit #TheFaultInOurStars #booknerdigans #Ludwig #India

Review:

*Note - I was sent a review copy of the book from Penguin Random House (thanks!) for an UNBIASED review. The views expressed here are solely my own. 

I want my readers to know that Book-Hangovers are not a common thing for me. Whenever I get them, they last for at least a week and it shows that the book I read was phenomenal. An Ember in the Ashes is such a case, too.

This book is about a girl named Laia - who is a Scholar and a soldier named Elias - who is a Martial. It deals with their story of bravery, in a world ruled by the Martial Empire, narrated by them in alternate chapters. The book begins with Laia narrating how by a raid at their house by the Martials, her life takes a turn as her brother is arrested for treason and her only remaining family - her Nan and Pop are killed- with her her house being burnt to the very ground. 

Through a series of events, Laia turns to the Resistance, i.e. the rebels, for freeing her brother, in exchange for risking her life to spy from within the Empire's greatest military academy, as a slave, where she is assigned to serve the tyrant and cruel Commandant.

Check these bookmarks out at - spotdrop.etsy.com

These LOVELY magnetic bookmarks from
Spot Drop bookmarks make reading cuter!

The book is an aim of the author at combining various genres like YA, Adventure, Mystery, Thrill, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy etc. In doing so, I felt that Sabaa has not only succeeded, but also set an example for any author who wishes to write any fictional book. The way the book is written is highly commendable since the writing style is crisp and keeps the reader hooked. However, I feel that the first half is slightly elaborate than the second half, which is when the book takes on a very fast pace. This flaw is shadowed by Sabaa's brilliant writing that is absolutely on point. 

Sabaa makes the reader feel all of these emotions at once that one wouldn't have known to exist. The book surprisingly has a love triangle (or rather a square!) that left me screaming to take sides. It also deals with a lot of violence through the slavery and the Martials. 

"...you are an Ember in the Ashes"

This is written in three parts and a total of fifty chapter that are alternatively narrated by Laia and Elias. Within it, are such well-written characters, some human and some not, that are perfectly rooted into the soul of this book. These characters range from wide age groups and are the oil to keep the book's fire going (see what I did there?!). Everything about is book stands out and unique, making all of the other books of the same genre seem like sheer attempts at writing. Such stories are perhaps told by Oracles from books that illuminate words written in flame...

CONCLUSION: This book is has some kind of feel to it that makes you want to read it on a Christmas Eve in front of your fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate by your side. So, don't wait for anything and just buy NOW! Reading it was more like an honor than an experience.