Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after. Such moments are tests of courage, of strength.
An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes # 1)
Sabaa Tahir
Summary: 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.
My Review: When A Sky Beyond the Storm released last year I knew it was finally time to dive into this world and I am so glad that I did. It’s war torn and dark and sad but also full of hope and incredible characters and light, and a very slow burn romance that I loved. But what I really want to talk about is the characters: both Laia and Elias are so well rounded and I loved living inside their head. This entire series is *chefs kiss*. Read this one if you love fantasy, political intrigue, magic, caste systems, and the most evil villain of all time (even worse than Umbridge).
Recommended age: 15+ (thematic elements, violence)
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