An Ember in the Ashes (Ember Quartet, #1)

by Sabaa Tahir

[lessthelonely]

OK... Fine, I think it was time to give a book 5 stars.

I started reading this book in the middle of watching "Damages". The first few pages were interesting enough, but they didn't really grab me much for me not to want to keep watching the third season. But then, at some point in the early pages, stuff just picked up and kept going all the way up!

I believe it was after the ending of Part I? Might be completely wrong. This books understands character, this book understands plot and most importantly, it understands writing! The vivid descriptions of emotion (though, sometimes, the sort of "magical realism" with fantastic creatures seemed too much), the thought process of the characters, their motives... It's all perfectly clear!

To be honest, it wasn't a book that wowed me with plot twists - I was really more enthralled in the characters' dynamics, but I do have a little qualm with this book: the disposable love interests for the main characters. I find no joy in having characters that appear to exist solely to hinder at the main couples inevitable romance. And this isn't an argument from shipping, though I do ship the main couple, but from the fact that it's HEAVILY OBVIOUS what the main ship is. It's in the book's back, though indirectly! Laid out in perfectly understandable terms for whoever reads it.

Outside of that, this is an instant favorite for me. 5 stars. Gotta save up to buy the next one.