An Ember in the Ashes - Tahir [Jan 20, 2022]

[Em Lost In Books]

Choko wrote: "I will start with one, if that is OK... I will catch up fast:)"

I know you will be with us in no time. :)

[Em Lost In Books]

Nirkatze wrote: "Whaaaaat? No Helene on last cover? Ominous!!!! >.<

Re: Darin & Warden--I totally agree! ..."

about Kennan (view spoiler)[ Can't Nightbringer play two roles simultaneously? Like be Kennan with Laia and also keep on meeting Commandant & Warden, he should be that powerful... and that's how he was so quick with information from Darin and apply it to Laia. (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

till chapter 14(view spoiler)[So much happened! Mamie alive, Shaeva dead and the prophecy was so vague and so interesting at the same time.

and I think Zak is with Marcus, or perhaps it is again a trick of Nightbringer as he has been deceiving people right and left with different ruses.

I think Livi's death, yup she's going to die, will be the tipping point for Helene before she goes berserk. For now she seems to be restraining herself as Livi is there but with her death there is nothing to hold on to.

Not much of Elias so far. :(

Musa seems to be most interesting new character so far. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, join us Choko!! :)

I'm going to be a bit late, but I will start on #3 this week.

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[ Poor Elias!

with all that happened in previous chapters I wonder if becoming Soulcatcher was a wise choice? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22 (view spoiler)[I am really worried about Helene, every time she makes a promise with a loved one, she's unable to keep it. And with each passing day she's giving herself away too much. This will take a toll on her. :(

She can't die so soon! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23 (view spoiler)[How come Musa knows so much about everyone and everything? and if he's the one behind attack on Helene? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24(view spoiler)[Hope Elias will stick to the plan this time and claim the magic. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25(view spoiler)[Why is Nightbringer helping Helene? what does he want? Does Helene has a part of the star? So that she too give him what he wants of her own accord... And why still nothing is said about Harper's side of story?

Cook finally appeared! and how come she knows that Nightbringer healed Helene? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27 - Such a good chapter. (view spoiler)[finally revealed how Sheava betrayed Nightbringer. Will Elias still hate Nightbringer after knowing this story? (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 29 - i knew it!! He wants it. He hasn't changed.

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 31(view spoiler)[I think its Marcus who poisoned Livia and not Commandant.

Also, can I ship Helene and Harper?

I am eager to see how Nightbringer will retrieve the ring from Helene. I don't see anyone around her whom she'd give the ring willingly. or she would give it to Laia? but it would mean no book 4 but we have that so I think she will give it to Nightbringer. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 32(view spoiler)[Musa is what!!

I totally agree with the King, one can't trust a girl whom he's meeting for the first time. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 33(view spoiler)[I hate Marcus and he is nearing madness with every day. And what exactly Zak wants him to do? I don't see any motive in whatever he's does.

And why can't Elias see Zak in Waiting Place? why is Zak so tied to Marcus? (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 38 (view spoiler)[sending Livia away, I don't know but am not sure if that was a great move on Helene's part. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 39 (view spoiler)[of all the things I was not expecting Nightbringer & Laia meeting like this.

Cook is Lioness, as we expected. She was strong to kill her own child and husband. the flashbacks were painful. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 40 (view spoiler)[ when did Elias came to know about Cook and Laia's relation? I missed it. I think his flashbacks has only him and his mother, not even his father. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 41(view spoiler)[and again I was right sending Livia away was not a good idea. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 43(view spoiler)[Harper:'( At least Helene knows now. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44(view spoiler)[Laia & Cook, it was an emotional chapter. and how they want to show love to each other but still hesitates. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 45(view spoiler)[Elias finally has magic. At least now he won't be sucked back at crucial moments as he helped so many ghosts now. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 46(view spoiler)[Wow!! I really liked this about to start battle chapter. so much tension, good thing that Elias is on his way. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 47(view spoiler)[Why Laia why? why do you make foolish mistakes at the crucial times? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 48 (view spoiler)[how mercilessly Helene is pushed in the corner. :( I think she will give up the ring to save Livia and the child. Perhaps it is Nightbringer who hung the mid-wife to the beam. (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 49 (view spoiler)[why didn't Cook tell Helene about Nightbringer's plan in her sneaky way? Instead she helped Laia go to a battle ridden city... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 50(view spoiler)[Kerris!! :/:\ (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Final thoughts (view spoiler)[somethings were expected others were not. Mask as piece of star, I felt so bad for Helene, and he didn't even help. :/ I think in the end it all came down to women, Commandant getting the final word, Helene fighting in the end, Cook sacrificing her own life for Laia and Helene, Laia going to save Helene instead of saving her own life.

... and the men just left, turn their backs on the battle be it Elias or Nightbringer, even Dex and Harper were not in the main battle.

I expected Elias and Harper interaction here, but none was here. Hope next book will give me that.

Kerris, she was almost invisible here though her name was present everywhere but she herself showed only here and there. For a main villain, I wanted more of her but it was a disappointed. Her no show also dashed all hopes of getting her story which still was thrown in crumbs here and there. Same goes with who her baby father was. And why is there so much hate between the two.

No pity for Marcus, he got what he deserved but I felt such a relief to see Zak finally getting some peace now that his twin is dead.

I don't know what to expect from Elias now. I was hoping that he'd be able to help Helene and Laia but turns out that his magic chained him even more to the Waiting Place. I thought he'd find a way but I don't see a way out for now.

I am happy that all the main characters survived, yay Helene.

Helene and Laia together, I all here for these two.

P.S: Harper and Helene is the pair that I want to see together. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Em Lost In Books wrote: "Started this yesterday. this started with a bang.

about Helene's magical powers [spoilers removed]

But what was the reason she had to keep the magic hidden again? Is there some sort of stigma aga..."

Really nice points about magical powers. So, to refresh memory--Helene has (view spoiler)[healed Laia and Elias so far--but that's it right? No, she did Cook too...I think? I feel like I'm forgetting someone. Has she shown similar links to the others?--besides her already-link to Elias. (hide spoiler)]

I do think I would still love to see some actual reaction to magic from normal folks. But it almost seems like most people don't even believe in it anymore, maybe? Like how the mains had a hard time accepting that Djinn and other creatures were real--(view spoiler)[thinking of the scene with the Telamon blacksmith too--Laia didn't think what she saw/heard was real until she talked to him. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

You're all done and I'm finally getting started! :) Looking forward to all those juicy spoiler tags.

Chapter 1--Nice to finally (view spoiler)[get a little bit of the backstory and Nightbringer's perspective! (hide spoiler)]

That's all I'm going to get to now though, time for sleep!

[Nirkatze]

Chapter 10: (view spoiler)[Harper offers to teach Helene how to keep the Augurs & Nightbringer out of her head. He must have learned it from Keris--he was her protégé (ish) and she taught Marcus & Zak. I think she learned from the Nightbringer, as a bid to counter the Augurs, but I guess it works on him too. (hide spoiler)]

Update Chap 13 (view spoiler)[Ah well, I guess it didn't work though. What's the trick? (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Em Lost In Books wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "Whaaaaat? No Helene on last cover? Ominous!!!! >.<

Re: Darin & Warden--I totally agree! ..."

about Kennan [spoilers removed]"

I wonder...I had been imagining (view spoiler)[that he was only able to play one role, but could travel pretty instantaneously. And I was thinking the Warden used birds to send messages. He's definitely not capable of being everywhere, but he does get around doesn't he? I wonder if this'll be cleared up. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Definitely started with a Bang! Lots of nonstop action. I've been blowing through the book, not stopping to write anything. >.< I'm up to Chapter 30 right now, and I'm tired but don't want to go to sleep want to read mooooooore.

[Nirkatze]

Blood Shrike (view spoiler)[I find it interesting that we don't get "Helene" chapters anymore--the forging & breaking mentioned by both Augurs and prophecy is definitely in motion. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 14 (view spoiler)[Glad that Mamie is still arrive, but poor Shaeva! I have to admit, Elias is coming across as rather selfish and I'm losing patience with him. Can't you trust your friends to be competent without you? Shouldn't you focus on your duty? Are you really going to sacrifice the world for one girl? I don't have much patience for those kinds of characters. Which again is probably why Helene is still my fav.

Musa is very interesting so far. I wonder how his magic works? And his slip of the tongue about the princess--what is his relationship to her? Former lover? Bastard half-brother? Those are my top favorite theories right now. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

re: Chapter 22. (view spoiler)[How much will Helene have to lose to be "broken"? Does her link to those she heals only affect her if she does the beating, like she did with Laia, or will any pain to her patients weaken her?

Helene's not dead--I never believe in an end-of-chapter POV death fakeout. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 24 (view spoiler)[Right there with you! I want Elias to actually keep his promise and do his duty! Being Soul Catcher is more important than being a martial among the scholar rebellion! All those poor souls need your help! (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[I'm thinking Cook must have some sort of magic, maybe like Laia, that lets her get around unseen. There was a throwaway by a child--"...Uncle Musa says she’s got magic, like the Lioness..." and Musa definitely seems to know things. Cook wants to break Keris. But how is the mother & child supposed to do that? Keris & Elias? Cook & Laia? Keris and her mother? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15-30 (view spoiler)[Nice guess on Helene having part of the star! I was honestly thinking it might be the mirror that her sister got as a wedding gift, but I totally didn't think of the ring! I keep thinking that Laia and Helene need to have a talk about the Nigthbringer--they would both be able to help each other so much!

I wonder if Keris' tattoo used to say Arius--ALWAYS is pretty close. I'm not sure that the glimpses we get into her supposedly former softer side are convincing.

Really interesting finally getting the history of the Nightbringer and Shaeva.

And what is up with Laia's blackouts? A blonde woman--the Lionness, Livia, Helene. Those are the blondes I can think of. I think there was some blonde jinn in the vision as well. Who is in the dark place? Interesting development to Laia's powers--makes me think of the One Ring--at first, it seems like it's just invisibility, but then it turns out it's so much more, and more dangerous. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

re: Chapter 31. Welcome to the (view spoiler)[Helene/Harper (hide spoiler)]-ship, Em! I've been shipping them since book 2. :)

More Chapter 31. (view spoiler)[I used to think that Liv & baby would both die, but with this healing, I'm thinking it'll just be Liv. And Marcus. And Helene will be empress, adopting her nephew. Mostly I just want Helene to be empress. She's the only one who sees the big pictures, and has a love for all the people. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 32. (view spoiler)[Hah! Musa isn't a former lover, he's her frickin' husband! How'd he manage that? (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 33 (view spoiler)[Very strange moment with Livia and Marcus. Thus so far, it seems like Zak has only interfered when Marcus was about to hurt Helene. But what is this about him "wanting" Marcus to do something? It seemed like Zak told him to hurt Livia. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34. (view spoiler)[Mauth. I hope we get more backstory on "him"--why a gendered force of magic? And how he responds to logic over love--even though love is what is needed to help ghosts pass on. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Chapter 36. (view spoiler)[Are you so sure you're the Ghost Laia? Sounds more like Cook to me--especially if she has the same skills. Plus, the Lioness' heir probably isn't the same person. (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 14(view spoiler)[I was frustrated like you in that chapter but then I realized I would like if Laia dies while there was something that he could have done to save her. gah, I am divided. If he let the girl die I will be unhappy and if he ignores his duty then I have the same thought as you. (hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Nirkatze wrote: "re: Chapter 22. How much will Helene have to lose ..."

Chapter 22(view spoiler)[don't think the bond weakens her. I think bonds with healed is one sided. Healed don't feel anything but Helene feel the pain and hurt of people whom she had healed. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24(view spoiler)[Lols... it was frustrating! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15-30(view spoiler)[Ha! only if the characters talk to each other, we won't suffer such heartbreak and hurt. But I guess everyone thinks that sharing secrets means they are putting others in danger.

And how Nightbringer keeps helping/deceiving Helene. I admire her that she knows his nature and does not give in easily as Laia.
(hide spoiler)]

[Em Lost In Books]

Chapter 31-34(view spoiler)[I too thought Liv and baby would die, and this would turn Helene in a mad person making some grave mistake and in her death. Glad that things didn't turn.

I also liked Liv and her planning against her husband.

And the moment when Helene talked to Zak. It was brief but quite emotional. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Em Lost In Books wrote: "Chapter 14[spoilers removed]"

re: Chapter 14 (view spoiler)[I just thought that Laia could have escaped by herself if given enough time--or Helene wouldn't have killed her anyway. OR If Elias hadn't promised to help in the first place, they would have come up with a plan that didn't require him, and she wouldn't have gotten captured in the first place.

Then again, if that happened, we wouldn't have story. I just want Laia to stop being the bloody damsel in distress most of the time, and I want her to stop being Elias' weak point. Grrr! (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Em Lost In Books wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "re: Chapter 22. How much will Helene have to lose ..."

Chapter 22[spoilers removed]

Chapter 24[spoilers removed]

Chapter 15-30[spoilers removed]"

re: Bond--good points! (view spoiler)[I still wish the book would explore it more concretely, like--how far away? How deeply a healing causes the bond? I guess a later chapter (with her sister), answers that others can cause the pain and she will feel it--but I don't see her feeling the pain of all those she healed in the infirmary--too light a healing, or too far? Maybe in eyesight. But I guess not all magic needs to be categorized and defined. Even though I want it. :) (hide spoiler)]

re: communication--ah, the classic annoyance of so many books. JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY!!! Trust in the competence of your companions!

re: N&H by Chap 31(view spoiler)[Yeah, the Nightbringer's approach to Helene is very interesting. She more-or-less knows what he wants--but does she know the whole backstory like Laia and Elias do? I'm a little fuzzy on who knows what. So, for Nightbringer to get that last piece, she will have to give it to him, knowing full well what will happen when she does. I wonder if that's the final breaking point. (hide spoiler)]

re: Liv (view spoiler)[she's totally a worthy sister for Helene. A soldier and a Mask in her own arena. I have big dread feelings for her, but fingers crossed. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

re: Chap 38 (view spoiler)[Sending Livia away...true, how does she expect to hide that from Keris? I was more worried about her dying at Marcus' hands, or in childbirth, but now... (hide spoiler)]

re: Chap 39. (view spoiler)[HAH! Called it! We did good snoop work. Interesting that this is the scene Laia sees in the blackouts. Why does her magic take her there?

And so tragic that the Lioness had to kill her own family to save them. On the one hand--she was doing it both so that they wouldn't be tortured anymore and also so that they couldn't be used against her. BUT--I'm pretty sure Nightbringer/Keegan had already told Keris everything that the Lioness was trying to hold back by then. I have no illusions that the Lioness giving in to Keris would have resulted in the daughter or husband's release, but it's still pretty twisted. Pretty sure Keris just tortured them for the fun of breaking, and not because she actually needed or expected information. Lots of Warden in her. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chap 40, when (view spoiler)[Here's the lines from Chap 40 for when Elias finds out. It's not overly explicit, and easy to miss if reading fast:

“You tell me what the hells you’ve done to her!”

As you wish. Seconds later, my body is as rooted to the grove as Laia’s is, and the jinn show me her purpose in coming through the Waiting Place. She must get to Antium, to the Blood Shrike, to the ring. She must stop the Nightbringer.

But her mission is forgotten as a fire rages in her mind, leaving her lost, wandering in a prison, forced to watch what happened to her family over and over.

They pretty much just played the movie reel for him. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 41. (view spoiler)[The scene with Helene and the little girls fighting--so cute! She is everything that Marcus isn't. And that Keris isn't. Summed up in this quote: Curse [Keris] for caring more about becoming Empress than about the Empire she seeks to rule.

Getting the distinct feeling that Cain is the Scholar king that Shaeva crushed on.

Yeah, ominous ending. At least, if Livia is standing next to Keris that means she's not dead yet. We'll see how this plays out. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Chapter 43--true that. Or she can't ignore it anymore. (view spoiler)[Getting frustrated with how Keris is always steps ahead and Helene never manages to catch up. Grr. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44. (view spoiler)[all the feels for Cook & Laia.

And how exactly has everyone just shown up in the waiting place? Is Nightbringer opening up a taxi service now? Seriously. I can see him bringing Laia in at the right time to distract Elias from the ghosts, but I can't see why he'd feel the need to bring Cook--still not sure if he did. Or why Cook would know to go to the Waiting Place to find Laia. Or what she thinks Laia can do to help her. Just seems fuzzy.

It looks like Cook's magic might be to make her body lighter or something like that. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 45. (view spoiler)[So Elias is the only one who doesn't know that Nightbringer is called Meherya now? They keep saying his name is his blessing and his curse, his strength and his weakness. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with love, but I don't see how anyone's going to use that to bring him down. Unless it's connected to Laia's possible connection to Nightbringer's dead wife.

Glad that Elias is finally embracing his duties. I wouldn't be surprised if the magic will continue to fluctuate if he lapses again. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

On to Part IV!

Chapter 46--quite a start!

Chapter 47. (view spoiler)[Same. I'm with Cook here. Laia keeps abandoning the big picture with every little problem. These folks will still die if they don't stop Nightbringer. Or they could just like, give the folk directions and send them on their way. Aaaaand it ends up not mattering anyway. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 48. (view spoiler)[Oooh, nice predictions there. That would be in character. Like a chess game--how to make it so that whatever move your opponent makes, they will end up checkmate, regardless of if they know what you're doing or not. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 51. (view spoiler)[Thank goodness Marcus is gone. Now it's just Helene v. Keris.

Not sure that I trust Laia with the last piece of the star more than Helene. Laia is definitely more likely to give it up to save some random person. Though I am not 100% positive the ring is the Star piece. My thoughts keep going back to that mirror. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

End thoughts--(view spoiler)[Man, I spent so much of this book frustrated at everyone, and sometimes for opposing reasons! Everyone always seemed to be making the wrong choices, except for Keris, who always walked away with the win.

I'm glad that Elias is doing his duty as Soul Catcher. I do think it is more important than his personal attachments. I'm kinda annoyed at the book for making it seem like that's the wrong decision. Though I can see that the Soul Catcher job should not have to be that way. Is there any reason why he can't recruit more Soul Catchers? Who is Mauth?

Helene was still the best part of the book. Totally ship her & Harper. And it's nice to see Helene & Laia put in a position to be allies for a change. Glad that Livia survived.

We got reveals on the Nightbringer background--some, but not enough. Some on Keris, but really just enough to tease. Really, the only satisfying revelation was Cook, and that we'd already seen coming a while earlier. Mask as last piece I had inklings of from a while back, but had forgotten--and I thought it was all the masks. Interesting that it is just Helene's. Not really satisfied with a lot of the answers in this one.

Hopefully the final book will wrap things up better. This felt like a rather messy middle to me. (hide spoiler)]

Whew, and done! I am so overbooked on myself for March. >.< Not sure when to schedule last book. :)

[Em Lost In Books]

Nirkatze wrote: "EWhew, and done! I am so overbooked on myself for March. >.< Not sure when to schedule last book. :)..."

Ah.. don't overbook and exhaust yourself, team need you. :) Will check with you after 20 to fix the final book. Is it okay?

Will open those spoilers later today.

[Nirkatze]

After 3/20 sounds good for a check in. :) I made the mistake of finishing some trilogies AND starting new ones in the same month... >.< It's hard to let go of BRs I'm not going to have time to fit in--a lesson I still have to learn.

[Nirkatze]

So it's waaay after 3/20 and I'm still overbooked bookwise, but I keep thinking how I really want to FINISH this darn series! So I'm checking in. How's it going Em?