When my sister first told me, "You HAVE to read this book!" I didn't know what to take of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, but I still went and bought a copy. After reading it, WOW! I mean I knew it would be good, because when my sister says it's good, it's good. But I did not expect it to be this good. Rich in depth and story, An Ember in the Ashes is cinematic with high definition visuals through words.  What we have is the intensity of Hunger Games meet the abundance in plot and grit of Ben Hur, plus the emotions of Gone with the Wind. How does those three even come together, you might ask? Well, it does, right in An Ember in the Ashes.

The dual points of view from Laia and Elias gives readers the inside knowledge, you might say of both sides of the coin. From the rebels point of view and the "Masks", knowing that those two may forever be in opposition, yet, their thoughts and their hopes and dreams are not so different. In a world of fantasy, Sabaa created one with imagined history, vocal and complex characters and the questions to define and figure out what it is all about, while keeping you in suspense. I'm hooked, engrossed in the story, captivated by the characters and immersed in the budding emotions between Laia and Elias. Yes, totally hooked, and can't begin to imagine the long wait for the second installment, let alone the third! At least we have a date for the second, A Torch Against the Night. Are you ready to jump onto the An Ember in the Ashes' bandwagon? You'll be hooked too!




PS/ Might I add, after reading it, I did a little stalking on the book news, and found out this series have already been optioned for a movie! Totally see it happening! It's that visual.