An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) by Sabaa Tahir - Restarting April 7th 2022

[Shar]

Kelly wrote: "Finished - [spoilers removed]

I'm interested in reading the sequel but I won't be able to start before the 14th I think (I'm limited with Scribd audiobooks :("

I have Scribd because audible was too expensive but I also have the library overdrive database. (view spoiler)[Yes, I almost forgot about Cook. I almost feel like Cook may be related to Laia somehow or something. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Shar wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Finished - [spoilers removed]

I'm interested in reading the sequel but I won't be able to start before the 14th I think (I'm limited with Scribd audiobooks :("

I have Scribd because..."

Thats an interesting theory. (view spoiler)[ I dont think she is the one who betrayed Laia's parents so that would make more sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Susan]

I lied...I had to do a book for a challenge. SO I am starting it tonight for real this time.

[Courtney]

I just got book two today if anyone is still interested in reading it.

[Shar]

Courtney wrote: "I just got book two today if anyone is still interested in reading it."

I'll be down for a read of that. I'll probably finish my current audiobook first tho which should be done either today or tomorrow so you can set up the thread if you want or I could?

[Courtney]

I am on my phone so I can do it later if you dpnt get to it first :) Can we set it for the 10th or 11th?

[Shar]

Yea I’ll be good for either days. I can do it and I’ll just set it for the 10th. :)

[Shar]

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Courtney]

Thank you

[Katie]

Part 1-

(view spoiler)[Started the audio book the other day, but then my physical copy came, so I restarted with that. I prefer reading physical copies of the book, however, the small part I listened to on audio book was GREAT! I’m enjoying the dual points of view, and I especially like that I can tell I’m reading from different character’s points of view…it’s very well done. (Especially in first person and present tense!) I enjoy the other characters and what they bring to the story a lot, even the Commandant although she is a fantastic villain. I’m a bit confused on why she is actively against her own son…time will tell! (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Part 2-

(view spoiler)[The love triangles and love squares are starting to blossom, which I usually find “meh,” but in this book, I enjoy reading about the friendship relationships, and not just the love interests. I’m not sure if’s because the POV’s are in present tense, but I feel pretty connected to the characters even this early in the book. I still really enjoy all the side characters, and even hearing about Darin even though we’ve never met him. I enjoy Keenan's love triangle story more than Helene's, but I think he's probably going to end up betraying Laia. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Part 3-

(view spoiler)[I felt the romance and the betrayals were pretty predictable. However, I didn’t think Marcus would become emperor! Loved the escape scene! Helen’s character seems the most inconsistently written, in my opinion. Sometimes she seems like she wants change and to do good things, but then out of nowhere she is doing terrible things because that’s what is expected. I’m just a little confused about her character right now… (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Finished-

(view spoiler)[I enjoyed this book a lot and I will read the sequel! I want to find out more about the Resistance and Cook. I’m looking forward to seeing what is next for Elias and Laia now that they have escaped together. I’m also hoping to get more from the world in the next couple of books. I felt the world was cruel and brutal, but compared to the character development this book had, I didn’t feel like it had quite the same for the world building. Looking forward to book two! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting August 4th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Eva Luna]

Thanks Sarah!

22% of the Audiobook
(view spoiler)[I love this book so far! I think it is really interesting we are following two people, two totally different people loving totally different lives. Elias as a soldier,
Laia as a scholar. They are both struggling but in their very own way.

I feel like they will meet at a certain point and that will become a very important part of the story!
(hide spoiler)]

[Eva Luna]

50% of the Audiobook
(view spoiler)[I have to be honest: I keep getting a bit distracted when we change from pov! I have never really experienced this before with a book, bit weird.

First of all: I think Laia is a badass. At a certain point she is being told:'I thought you were more like your mother' And I was listening to it and got a bit angry on the inside! How dare they say such a thing? She is stronger than they think, she is stronger than she knows herself. So far she has been hurt, she has even been marked, she has been discovered but she still is trying so hard, she is still doing everything she can. (And she is being patient, she thinks she is being a coward but I believe she is actually being very smart, not rushing.)

I am also really curious about her mother, the other slave said her father was an amazing man, but her mother was basically horrible. What did she do? Was she a bad person? Was she a traitor?

I like Laia's parts more than Elias his parts, it just peeks my interest a bit less. He is just very busy staying alive basically haha... I wonder if he is going to win, or if he is going to lose and try to escape?
(hide spoiler)]

[Eva Luna]

70% of the Audiobook
(view spoiler)[
Helen and Elias kissed, but their moment got cut short by Izzy screaming. I believe Elias does really care about Helen, but I feel like he will also want Laia. Love triangle situation? This can become a interesting situation. I don't really feel the Elias and Laia romance, I kinda like Elias and Helen together more.

Marcus tried to take adventage of Laia, I am so happy Izzy saved her and got Elias and Helen to get Marcus away from her. Marcus is such a creep and a horrible human being, I hope he doesn't survive the next trial and I sure hope he doesn't win the trials! (but my feeling says he will play a pretty big, nasty part in the last part of the book)

Also, I feel like the resistance is playing Laia in some way. I think they are being dishonest about her brother, and are using her to their benefit. I am not sure if they are still going to honor their deal...
(hide spoiler)]

[Eva Luna]

Finished the Audiobook.
(view spoiler)[
Elias's mom really is a horrible human being, luckily she behaved like a normal human being for a few hours which made her little boy, Elias, survive. She wanted to kill him, she wanted to give birth and just kill the boy. What a horrible mother, I am happy he survived, I am happy he came back even though she didn't want him to. I am happy he was able to make her life miserable, to be named the heir even though she wanted to be!

The end of the book was a bit predictable, I assumed Elias wouldn't die and I assumed Laia and Elias would break out together. And in the end they did. I am kind sad Helen isn't coming with them, but that also was expected haha.

I am curious about the next book, I will certainly continue the series. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting September 4th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[GridGirl]

I'll do updates by percentage because I'm reading the audio book and sometimes it's hard to keep track which chapter you are actually on with the audio :)

[GridGirl]

I'm listening to the German audio book, I guess that won't really help you 😅
Sorry that I got so little reading done this weekend, it'll be better during the week :)

[HeatherH]

Nari--Atlantisgirl wrote: "GridGirl, is the audiobook good? Like does the narrator speak perfectly?"

I listened to the english version of the audios for this series and they are amongst my favorite audios! :)

[GridGirl]

Yes, I am actually German. If you need someone to practice with, let me know ;)

[GridGirl]

Chapter 32 out of 134 in the audio book (about 24%):

(view spoiler)[So far this is not a lot of Elias&Laia (which is the German title of the series), but more Elias&Helene... I wonder if Elias will fall in love with Laia as soon as she's a slave in the military academy. Generally I'm curious where the whole story will go. Is Elias going to be the next Imperator?
Overall, at this point I'm not too excited by the story so far. This might be due to the audio book, because the narrator for Laia sounds like a mouse which I don't really enjoy... (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Nari--Atlantisgirl wrote: "So here's what I thought so far: Chapters 1 to 7 Part 1:


(view spoiler)[I like the names of the characters as well, although they make it hard for me because I can only hear them and have to guess how they are written!
I agree that Keenan might be a love interest for Laia, and Helene is very obviously one for Elias! (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Chapter 63/134 in the audio book (47%):

(view spoiler)[
I think that the first trial round was very interesting with everyone's fears. Currently I'm in the middle of the second round and I hope everything will go well for Elias and Helene!
I really want to know how Elias' mother knew that Laia had opened the letter! It was also interesting that Darin worked as an apprentice for the blacksmith!
I like Elias, although I don't understand why he's acting like a chicken in the situations developing between him and Helene.
Laia, I don't like as much. She's just a little bit too scared and whiney for my taste...
(hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

It's alright :)
I'll finish the book and we'll see how I like it. I'm not huge on love triangles, either, and I'm already annoyed by the ones in this book, but I usually don't dnf books that quickly.

[GridGirl]

Chapter 97/134 in the audio book (~72%):

(view spoiler)[I don't understand the third trial, to be honest. An overpowering opponent? Were the dozens of men they were fighting against in the second round not overpowering enough?
I also don't understand Elias' feelings for Helene.. First he wants to kiss her, then he tells her he could never love her. She's just sticking with the rules and it's not like he ever cared for any other slave apart from Laia, so in my opinion he's just a huge hypocrite.... (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Finished:

(view spoiler)[I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. I've recently had my issues with YA books and I can't say that this one didn't have some of the issues, but compared to others I think the story was thought through quite well. I liked Laia's character development. In the end she went back to save Izzy and Elias and overcame her fears. I will continue the series :) (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

I read Red Queen last year, but I didn't really enjoy it so much. I finished it, I even read the second book, but it only got worse from there... Let me know how you like the series!

[Ritika]

Ah, I find this thread still very much active. I hope no one minds if I join in. :D

[GridGirl]

Sure, let us know your thoughts :)

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

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Date changed. Restarting March 14th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[[deleted user]]

Sorry, I’m a little bit behind on my reading schedule this month, so I’ll do my best to catch up tomorrow.

[Evelyn]

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Date changed. Restarting September 6th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[Pragya]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ This Story is so painful from the start. The amount of time I have read the word "rape". I am literally scared.
Augus has made me scared for Elias future as well.
Commandant is an evil and hateful person. And she being Elias mother makes me cringe. Like how can these two be actually related!
I think we get major Laia's character development.
(hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Part 1
(view spoiler)[ So far there has been non stop action and I'm really liking it! A lot of names have been introduced though so sometimes it's hard to keep up. But I am soooo scared for Laia. The commandant is pure evil... She whipped her 4 times for being 5 seconds late? That is just..🤮 (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Pragya wrote: (view spoiler)[ "Part 1 This Story is so painful from the start. The amount of time I have read the word "rape". I am literally scared.
Augus has made me scared for Elias future as well.
Commandant is an evil and..." (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[I know.. the word "rape" has already been used so much. Like what kind of school is this? No wonder why all these 'slaves' can't last more than two weeks. It's torture 24/7 (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Chapter 22
(view spoiler)[ Omg I'm so scared for Helene now too. Marcus said something about her belonging to him? That is truly disgusting. I hope Helene will be able to open up to Ellias soon so maybe they'll be able to help each other. (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Chapter 35
(view spoiler)[ Very surprised that Helene is bringing Laia back to life and I really hope they become friends even though the love triangle.
Mazen is becoming really fishy to me for some reason. why do I feel like he's working for the Empire? (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Other than the love square, I really enjoyed this book! I honestly kinda hated Helene, but I think she made up for in the end. I feel so sad for her now because she just did all that for Elias and she's still going to have to be Marcus's "slave." I hate that, but she's badass so she'll do something about it. Hopefully. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah A]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ Wow this book has started out so good. The action just doesnt stop.

I hope the commandant gets what coming to her. I can't believe how evil she is. I would have never guess that she had a child and she doesn't care what happens to him in the trials. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah A]

Pragya wrote: "Part 1 {spoiler Removed}"

(view spoiler)[ I have to agree, what kind of school is that. I feel so bad for Elias with the Commandant as a mother. (hide spoiler)]

[Missie ☆]

Dee Dee, I can't wait to start another buddy read with you!

[Dee Dee]

Missie✨ wrote: "Dee Dee, I can't wait to start another buddy read with you!"
Neither can I! I'm starting in a bit ^_^

[Missie ☆]

Time for my first update!
7%(view spoiler)[I love Laia, and I know I'm going to keep loving her, but Elias has got to be my favorite character thus far. Something about him being a warrior, but not wanting to be a warrior has a serious appeal to me. I don't know why. He's also an awesome character, so maybe that's why I love him so much...
Hopefully I'll be able to get into it a bit more later! (hide spoiler)]

[Dee Dee]

Missie✨ wrote: "Time for my first update!
7%I love Laia, and I know I'm going to keep loving her, but Elias has got to be my favorite character thus far. Something about him being a warrior, but not wanting to be ..."

I've not decided how I feel about Laia yet, but I do like Elias' rebellious nature.

[Sarah A]

Missie✨ wrote: "{spoiler removed}"

(view spoiler)[ I like Elias because he doesn't want to be want his mother is trying to make him. He doesn't want to fit the mold of the school, but to be different. (hide spoiler)]

[Missie ☆]

Sarah wrote: "Missie✨ wrote: "{spoiler removed}"

[spoilers removed]"

I agree! There's some appeal because of that in my opinion LOL!

[Missie ☆]

Dee Dee wrote: "Missie✨ wrote: "Time for my first update!
7%I love Laia, and I know I'm going to keep loving her, but Elias has got to be my favorite character thus far. Something about him being a warrior, but no..."

I can't wait to see what you think about it!