A Torch Against the Night {Yomna's Review}

The definition of utter perfection.

My rating: 5/5

Ship: Elaia (Elias and Laia)

Spoilers!

Elaia is the best thing ever there ever was ever! (Besides Peeta)

It came as a stroke of luck that my copy of Empire of Storms arrived late so I could finish this book. Otherwise, I would've dropped it to read EOS. Not that this book isn't absolutely amazing and awesome, but it feels like I've been waiting for Empire of Storms forever. So yeah. Let's not get too into how mad and frustrated I am that my copy is late and I need it and oh god.......I better stop. 

This story was so good. 

So. Good. 

"I take Laia’s hands in mine. Cool. Strong. I would keep them here, kiss every callus on her palms, nibble the inside of her wrist so she gasped. I would pull her closer and see if she too wished to give in to the fire that burns between us."

Nibble on inside of her wrists? Talk about sexy. (nervous laugh)

The whole story, when we found out that Elias was poisoned, I was waiting for Helene to heal him. That's what she does, right? But unfortunately, it didn't happen, and now we have yet another obstacle standing against Elaia just being together. 

I'm so glad I kind of have a reason now to dislike Keenan. Sure, he was working against Elaia, but now he's a traitor, so I can really dislike him. I really hated the scenes between him and Laia. Also, he got so 'you do nothing while I take care of everything' and I was so annoyed. I wanted, more than anything for Laia to speak back and kick some ass. She deserves that. To not be underestimated. 

"You are my temple," I murmur as I kneel beside her. "You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release."

I have to say, I liked Helene a lot more in TORCH than I liked her in the first book. Mostly because I felt like she was out of the way of Elaia. I kind of ship Helene with Avitas. Anyone else? 

I was so sad when Elias seemed so pained that he had become a soul catcher now and that the souls and whispers would haunt him forever, never allowing him to have a full life. When he was trying to joke it off and say that the whispers were just jealous, but he was hurting.  

I love that Laia and Darin get reunited in this book. I was so terrified when I thought he was actually dead. Of course it was never going to be true though. I'm interested to know more about Darin's character, since we only know the little bits that Laia has given us. 

So apparently there's going to be at least two more books of this, and I'm so excited. 

This book is a masterpiece, from the way it captivates you in the beginning to the effortlessly stunning ending. Sabaa Tahir is an author unafraid to let her characters go through the horrible atrocities, and where other people would shy away, quickly scooping their characters to their happy ending; she proceeds, unflinching. And I think these violent, difficult test of courage that her characters go through are what truly show how brave and persistent they are.

Thank you so much to Sabaa Tahir for writing this. You make us brave.

Love, 

Yomna