An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir → Start Date: February 19th, 2018

[Ley]

Here it is, Katriann!

[Katriann]

Thanks for making the thread. :)

[Ley]

no problem!

[Agnik]

Could I join in?

[Katriann]

Sure, welcome Agnik.

[Agnik]

That’s great. I shall note down the date in my calendar. Call me Kinga (that’s my real name)

[Raven]

Is there room for one more? :)

[Katriann]

Okay, that's great Kinga. And Maria, of course there is room. :)

[Ley]

I'll be going out of town the 22nd-26th, so hopefully I can take the book with me and knock out a few pages at night or in the mornings.

[Katriann]

Don't worry about it Ley. I'm quite busy at school, so I'll probably make pretty slow progress too.

[Raven]

I'm super excited to start this :) That being said, I might be on the slow-progress train too because I'll probably be alternating between reading this and another book.

[Katriann]

I know what you mean Maria. I'm currently reading 5 books and I'll be alternating between all of them.

[Raven]

I started this and wow it's good.

Chapters 1-10 (view spoiler)[So Laia's point of view took a bit to grow on me, but now I really like her and her motivations. I can't wait to see her go to Blackcliff to spy (I'm assuming she accepts). I also really hope her brother turns out to be okay in the end, I really liked the dynamic between them and I honestly think she will never forgive herself for running away if she doesn't get him back.

As for Elias, his point of view grabbed me straight away. I like his friendship with Hel but I could never get behind that ship. It seems like they might like each other... idk. This Academy is freaking ruthless and the fact that Elias still has a moral compass astonishes me. These trials sound like they will be interesting, but I'm not sure if his friendship with Hel will survive if they're pitted against each other.

I can't wait for Laia to go to Blackcliff so I can see how she'll interact with Elias and how their relationship will be. I'm also really looking forward to Laia and Hel meeting. I think that will be a major clash. (hide spoiler)]

[Ley]

I am on page seven after reading briefly this morning, lol.

[Raven]

So I know I said I might move slow through this book but I'm sort of ignoring all my other responsibilities to read this...

Chapter 11-30 (view spoiler)[I'm not going to be super detailed but here are some of my thoughts.

---I hate hate hate Elias's mother. She's a bitch.
---I'm sort of irritated with Hel, but at the same time, I can see where she's coming from. It seems like Blackcliff has beaten any shred of compassion, empathy, or righteousness out of her.
---I don't trust Mazen. I have a feeling that he might be the traitor and he doesn't seem very eager to help Darin.
---The Nightwalker (or whatever he was called) is definitely an interesting addition to the cast of characters. He might turn out to be the big bad evil that spans across the whole story arc. This series is going to be four books, after all.
---I'm kind of meh on Izzy. I don't dislike her, but I also don't love her. I have a feeling she might end up dead...
---Marcus is a piece of shit and I want to kill him.
---Laia is really finding her courage in this hell she's going through and I'm so proud of her or doing so much for her brother. She's a badass, she just doesn't know her full potential yet.
---These trials are way harder than I anticipated. I was not betting on someone almost dying in the two that have passed already.
---I like the slow build of the relationship between Elias and Laia, but something big is bound to happen soon. It has to.
---Still waiting for a Hel and Laia fight scene. I'm craving it so bad although Laia will definitely get her ass handed to her.
---Elias and Hel need to sort this argument out. I like them as friends, but I don't think Hel would be able to handle the REAL Elias. The one who just wants to be free. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Can y’all use one more person?

[Raven]

I was not expecting this to be such a fast read... Oh well

Chapter 31-END (view spoiler)[Holy freaking hell, that was intense.

---These trials were freaking terrifying. I was almost sick when Elias had to kill some of his friends just so his other friends could live. And that moment when he almost killed Hel. ...... I wasn't ready for that even though she isn't my favorite.
---I can't remember if this happens before or after chapter 30, but that scene where Marcus almost raped and killed Laia... First of all, he's a piece of shit. And also, how could Helene ever take the chance of having to be bound to that sort of sicko?? Ugh... I hate him soooo much.
---So I called it that Mazen wasn't Laia's ally in any way, but it still hasn't been cleared up who betrayed her parents all those years ago. I feel like it has to be someone we've met already, but Mazen seems to hate the Commandant too much to have helped her catch them.
---I don't ship Laia with Keenan, just to get that out there. I feel like she's a much better match for Elias and I like their dynamic more.
---I didn't get my Hel and Laia fight scene. :( I was sort of looking forward to the two of them clashing, but maybe in the next book. They didn't really interact that much in this book but I feel like a fight between them two is bound to happen at some point. (hide spoiler)]

I'm not getting nearly all my thoughts out, but this is a start. Can't wait for someone else to finish this so we can discuss :)

[Katriann]

Sarah, of course. You're welcome to join us. :)

Maria, you finished already? Hahaha, that was fast. I wasn't even able to start yesterday but I will definitely start today.

[Agnik]

I only started today because of my schoolwork. Hopefully I can catch up quickly. I am listening to the audiobook and I have listened to an hour of it now. So far so good.

[Katriann]

12 chapters

Laia's point of view (view spoiler)[ took a while for me to get into too. I think she's okay but it annoyed me, how she seemed to expect the whole resistance to want to save her brother just like that. For example, she couldn't understand why Keenan didn't want to help her. I mean, why should he want to put himself and his friends in danger to save a boy he's never even met. It also kind of annoys me that Laia's parents were the leaders of the resistance and Elias's parents are the leaders of Blackcliff. I feel like this happens in every YA dystopia and fantasy book. Why can't the main characters ever be normal kids? (hide spoiler)]

I'm curious (view spoiler)[ about who betrayed Leia's parents. I'm pretty sure it was someone we've already met. Maybe Mazen....or Keenan. Well, Keenan would have been too young to have anything to do with but maybe his parents were the traitors. (hide spoiler)]

I like Elias (view spoiler)[ a lot and the Blackcliff Academy is an interesting setting. I like Helen too but, like Maria, I can't really see them together. I agree they may like each other. Or I'm not sure about Elias. Somehow I have a feeling that Helen likes Elias more than Elias likes Helen. (hide spoiler)]

[Katriann]

I finally reached chapter 30.

I don't (view spoiler)[ trust Mazen either. I don't think he intends to save Darin. It seems to me that he just wants Laia to get information for him. I'm not sure what he plans to do if Laia can find a way for the rebels to get into Blackcliff but I don't think it has much to do with saving Darin. (hide spoiler)]

I really (view spoiler)[ like the trials. I was afraid they would be too easy and boring and I'd be disappointed but so far they've been challenging and interesting. I wonder how Helene and Elias's relationship will develop. I hope Helene will get past her anger. Hopefully she'll be able to see Elias's point of view and stop thinking he's a traitor. (hide spoiler)]

I'm pretty sure (view spoiler)[ that the commandant will catch Laia spying soon. Or then she will catch Elias helping Laia or something... I don't think they can hide things from her much longer. (hide spoiler)]

[Ley]

hokay, i'm finally a decent amount through the book. and i already know i need to buy book two.

I also (view spoiler)[don't trust Mazen at all. He is the shadiest character I've ever seen. Even shadier than Marcus, and that's saying something. (hide spoiler)]

I don't know how to feel (view spoiler)[about Helene. Some part of me pities her, since she's in this weird emotional place, finally falling in love with her best friend. But at the same time, she's so indoctrinated to the ways of Blackcliff to where there's not really any hope for her. (hide spoiler)]

[Katriann]

Finished

The third (view spoiler)[ trial was awful. I think it was really sick to make the aspirants kill their friends. And all those other soldiers too. They weren't even aspirants but they still had to kill their friends. (hide spoiler)]

I also (view spoiler)[ suspected that Mazen was not going to help Laia and I also wish to know, who betrayed Laia's parents. I'm curious about the cook too. I'd like to know what her role in the resistance was and what happened between her and Laia's mother. (hide spoiler)]

I feel bad (view spoiler)[ for Helene. It must be horrible to have to do whatever Marcus wants her to do. She knew the risks when she made the deal with Cain but it's still sad that she has to be his slave. I wonder if Elias will eventually kill Helene to free her. I mean, wasn't she in that nightmare battlefield of his? (hide spoiler)]

[Ley]

hopefully i'll finish tonight after i get off work/before i go into an 18 hour coma from exhaustion!