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tokillamockingbird427 · 10 months

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i wholeheartedly agree with ur response to my previous ask, especially with the trilingual and accent one. i imagine its like a somewhat thick-ish accent too that they have (rorke’s is probably more light than logans), since portuguese and spanish are probably the more dominant languages than english. (mainly my hc/theory bc of the fed that was stuttering in spanish and english before keegan killed him during the ajax mission but that’s somewhat irrelevant).

now adding onto ur trilingual hc(?), i imagine logan forgetting certain words and his mind goes absolutely blank in trying to find what the fuck the word is in any of the languages hes fluent in. (example: “i think he went to the… eh…“) and yes, this 100% applies to rorke, and if not the old man is probably WORSE. but unlike logan, rorke is way more fluent in english, as logan cant hold an entire conversation without speaking in either the other two dominant languages. of course though, i would like to think this is when logan decides to speak, because i feel like hes more of a “i hate people so i don’t talk” but is compassionate type of guy. (totally not cause we dont hear the man speak because of the silent protagonist era..)

im not sure what hesh’s(specifically) and the other ghosts reaction would be besides surprised pikachu, “he forgot english? we took THAT long???”, or “what the fuck did rorke DO.”, but im sure itd be something funny or angsty. as hesh and logan in your hc(that i adore cause it honestly suits them) are mixed and dont have that strong of an accent, the accent change from logan when he decides to talk would probably make hesh feel sad in a way, knowing he took too long to find logan before he 1) develops an accent, 2) is now trilingual, and 3) most likely doesn’t remember him or really any of the ghosts if we take that route of angst.

bonus again in favor of your lovely bonus: rorke and logan would absolutely make fun of eachother when they forget a word. (it would also be funny if its other feds who join in but they’re all probably scared of both or they all also deal with the same problem… but they might..)

and i’ll definitely send more asks in the future regarding similar topics like these or hcs in general! :)

— random anon

Logan frustrated to tears because he's gotta sort through three languages to find one word (Four if you include american sign, ASL, headcanon.) when he doesn't even like speaking. He'd make some bad joke about it being the reason he doesn't talk a lot, it's too much work when he can just stand there looking scary and let Rorke do his monologues.

Pls, calling Rorke an old man. I forget he's older than Elias because he really does NOT act like it. They gave him eternal youth in the pit or something because how the fuck was he getting his ass whooped like he was and shaking it off? (Au perhaps, curse of immortality?)

I HC that Logan's selectively mute (as do a few moots of mine) so to me it's not that he hates talking to people, it's just that speaking verbally makes him majorly uncomfortable. So instead he communicates through different avenues. Like writing things to be read, or signing, and even letting Hesh do all the talking for him. (One he uses the most, because it's easiest. Which can be used for angst when Logan then refuses to have Hesh talk for him post pit/beach EHEHHEHE.) He is absolutely so compassionate tho, I love that, I adore giving him a really big heart. Makes the angst where he's cold and angry so much more painful! :D (<- The face of a man who suffers under his own hand)

Oh the angst of the Ghosts being forced to face how much time has passed when they meet Logan again and he's changed so radically his primary language is no longer his "mother tongue." (mother tongue being spanglish, new primary being solely spanish.) Even outside a full "Amnesic Logan" au there'd still be things he'd forget and that is some good angst to explore. Hells yeah.

Hah, Logan and Rorke bullying the shit out of a each other. "Oh you stopped in the middle of your monologue, what was that? Forgot the word did you?" "Stfu that was a dramatic pause." "More like an awkward pause." "I'm gonna put you back in the pit blondie I stg." "Try me you bald bitch." (Subordinates too scared to tell if they're joking with each other or serious)

Can't wait to get more asks from you, I love it :D

#call of duty #call of duty ghosts #logan walker #gabriel rorke #random anon #beloved anon

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dreamwritesimagines · 2 years

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okaaaaay, here comes another proposal. and hmm, okay, don’t get me wrong, Anthony’s proposal (if we can even call it that) was horrendous. but Pierre’s proposal was so….shallow and well, selfish. i’m sorry but it made me cringe so bad. even his compliments feels so shallow. i’d take a poem compared to this thanks. and the mere fact that he suggested to get married in Gretna Green is so selfish? like does he not see how much it would make things worse for Cherie? a daughter of a duke? and yeah sure, blah blah who cares what the Ton thinks but no matter how you look at it, this doesn’t benefit anyone at all? and it’s like, he’s not even seeing the consequences it would have on her, let alone considering how it would affect her. “leave this all behind, leave your father behind” is so…wrong??? it sounds so wrong?? like he doesn’t even think about her brother, her best friend, the life she’s grown to have in London. Pierre is just thinking about him and how this would benefit him if they were to marry. and it leaves such a bad taste in my mouth. like telling Cherie to “leave this all behind” instead of “come with me, we can start a new life” speaks volumes imo. he’s not even saying anything remotely close to romantic like “I will do my best to give you happiness and be the best husband” or something of the sort. i think Pierre is aware how heartbroken she is. and i feel like he’s taking advantage of her heartbreak so so much bc he’s in a way, giving her an ultimatum like: say no and you will stay here and face all this heartbreak or marry me and leave it all behind.

honestly, the more i compare their proposal, the more i’m thinking that Anthony’s was *slightly* better??? which trust me, i want to smack myself for saying that bc Anthony’s Business Proposal™️ was the most painful thing i’ve ever witnessed. but like, at least he promised Cherie a good, comfortable, stable life?? LMAAAOOO Pierre didn’t even come close to saying that he will provide for her, protect her and give her the life she deserves bc well…he really can’t if you look at it logically. like, if he can’t give her love then what else can he give? and he offered her nothing at all. not even a promise to try and make her happy.

LOVE AT TENTH SIGHT. Percival you comedian. but, god, that conversation was Intense™️ Cherie had a point and she had every right to call out the duke about choosing for her etc. i was with her up until she said that Percy didn’t know Cassie. bc when we come and think about it, she knew so little about what her mother and father were like before her and hell, even before Elias was born. the courtship, the better parts of the marriage, Cassie being pregnant with Elias, like, there’s so much she doesn’t know. so i don’t think her words held that much weight in that regard. and like, this is going to sound so bad but Cherie only truly knew her mother after what happened, and i feel like the rumors changed Cassie in a way, so it’s so so sad to think that Cherie didn’t really know her mother before the rumors, only after. and it breaks my heart thinking how Cherie probably never got to see Cassie be so carefree and glow and laugh bc as much as i believe she saw her mother happy in Paris, i don’t think it was true happinessbc i feel like even years later, Cassie still carried that heaviness of what happened in London and the divorce. and maybe she just hid it so so well bc she didn’t want her only daughter to bear witness to it as much. and correct me if i’m wrong but i feel like Cherie only saw the weight of it when Cassie got sick bc by then, she really didn’t have the strength to hide it anymore. Cherie saying the duke didn’t know Cassie wasn’t wrong per se, but it’s not true either. bc Percy knew a different version of Cassie as did Cherie. and sadly, Cherie didn’t get to witness the Cassie that Percy knew, and Percy didn’t get to witness the Cassie that Cherie grew up with.

but that disappointment line tho, Ouch™️ Percy felt that to his core. but omg, i know this isn’t the time to joke but Percy kinda just told her to “go touch some grass” ksksksksks sorry, sorry, but no, the conversation wasn’t going anywhere tbh. they would just end up screaming at each other.

Iona and Lucie chilling by the tree <3 also, Hugh’s casual “I was.” had me giggling like a school girl. like mhmm he’s been spending time with Kenneth, love that, yes, good for him.

“Is there a whisper in your head telling you this is a mistake?” HUGH. THANK YOU. YOU GENIUS. that’s such a good question! i swear him and Cecily are the only people who have braincells in this story so far sksksk i feel like it definitely runs in the family, mother’s side i feel. but god what Hugh said about him not wanting to visit her in Paris is so true it hurts. just thinking about Elias and Cece going there and every time they do they just see the life and joy slowly leave Cherie. like i can picture her getting weaker day by day and they will see that with each visit. like they’d notice the change each time and it would really be such a sad thing to see. so i’m glad Hugh was blunt about that. bc it genuinely would be so painful for the people who care about her to witness the physical effects of the heartbreak Cherie will deal with every single day when she marries Pierre. also, yes, she’s heartbroken here in London, but at least she’s got friends and family by her side. she doesn’t have that back in Paris anymore, unfortunately.

THAT CUTE MOMENT WITH CECILY AND ELIAS. ugh my heaaaaaart. also side note, why am i picturing Anthony just begrudgingly following these two around like a Best Man Bodyguard™️ so he can keep an eye out when they sneak around, just mumbling to himself like “just one more day, and I don’t have to act chaperone anymore, just 24 more hours…” like that image is so funny to me. but anyway, i’m so glad Cherie saw that and made her snap out of it. like she really was trying to convince herself that this idea of marrying Pierre was the best shot she’s got or that it was even a good idea in the first place.

“I think that’s the only right decision you’ve made in a month.” LUCIE. I LOVE YOU. she is so right and she should say it. i’m popping a bottle of champagne, i am celebrating bc we’ve finally gotten the Mustache Man™️ out of the picture yay!

“You don’t use me or mother as a weapon.” …..i didn’t even think about that omg. that’s so..true. Cherie really did have a moment of selfishness back at the duke’s study. bc she didn’t even consider Elias’ side of it and how he would feel. and like, i feel so sorry for Elias bc you can see his pain about this. he’s so so sooo torn. for one, he knew how much it hurt Cassie, and in turn, hurt Cherie as well. but he also saw how the duke was like after that. so it’s so painful for him to see them but heads when he saw how this affected everyone.

THE WALTZ. YES. YES. YES. Elias picking it all while being oblivious as fuck might actually have been in our favour here. like, he chose waltz bc obviously he wants to be close to Cece, what he didn’t take into account is the fact that his best man and Cece’s maid of honor would be close to as well. “Why would I think about anyone else? It’s my engagement ball.” aaaah Elias, your Lovesick Chaotic Ass™️ is everything. he said “this is for me and the love of my life, no one else” and as he should lmao.

i’m sorry if this is too much but ANTHONY TAKING HIS GLOVES OFF WHEN HE SAW CHERIE WAS GLOVESLESS AS WELL??? THAT WAS SO FUCKING HOT???? he really wants that Naked Handholding™️ so baaad. YOU HARLOT LORD ANTHONY BRIDGERTON!!! THAT WAS VERY SEXY OF HIM!!! why did I find that sooooo frickin attractive help??? i’m so down bad for this man lmao. but pls his smile when he found out Pierre said no. and i love how Cece was the one who told him. love seeing this frienship grow.

aaaah i’m going to cryyyy Anthony quoting Cherie’s questions way back when they first danced together. i’m so emotional. CECILY THIS IS ALL THANKS TO YOU BY THE WAY. FINALLY RATTLED THIS MAN AND MADE HIS BRAINCELLS FUNCTION. like now he is finally showing her the little things as to why he cares bc hello, remembering every single detail of the night you two first danced counts as something surely?? i actually am just asdfghj!klalskdju!fvhebnwo!jkgfvin™️ my way into this whole waltz. this whole interaction is just making my heart soar. you’ve made us suffer with all the angst that the littlest moments of softness just make me explode. i cannot deal with this !!!! Anthony’s breath hitching whenever she touches and squeezes his shoulders !!! their banter !!! Anthony being open about how he can’t take his eyes off her !!!! Anthony being so down bad !!! their conversation about honesty and just !!!!!!! the whole parallel of their first dance and this dance just everything about this is so Chef Kiss™️ !!!!!!!

now i’m praying that this will finally make Cherie question things at least. like her seeing Anthony running out of the ballroom after their dance mirroring what she did when they first dance, surelyshe can now at least start doubting her thoughts of this being unrequited. also, also, their whole questioning portion, i feel like Anthony was just waiting for her to ask him how he feels about her. like give him an opportunity to say it. like that’s such a lovely thing bc he’s not, pushing himself to much onto her anymore. he’s being patient finally and letting her steer the convo. but alas, he’s left enchanted and breathless instead. amazing as always! <3 and OMG WEDDING DAY NEXT CHAPTER?? AAAH i can’t wait to see where this goes next!!!

– TM Anon™️

Omg hi darliiiing! ❤❤❤

Wait omg I haven’t thought about it that way! ❤ But yes, Pierre offering her to go to Gretna Green if her father insists on not giving them his blessing was actually a bit selfish because that would change everything in Cherie’s life in a bad way! It would be yet another scandal and the Ton is already very willing to jump on assumptions about her 💔

like telling Cherie to “leave this all behind” instead of “come with me, we can start a new life” speaks volumes imo. he’s not even saying anything remotely close to romantic like “I will do my best to give you happiness and be the best husband” or something of the sort This is a great point! 😱 He just offers her some kind of escape but what about afterwards? 😏

HOLD ON HOLD ON-

Anthony’s business proposal was better?! 😱

I mean Pierre wouldn’t be able to offer like half of the luxury as Anthony can, that’s for sure 😂

Oh you’re absolutely right! ❤ I think Percy and Cassie were completely different people before the divorce 💔 And just like you said, Cherie only knew Cassie after everything happened💔

I do think Cassie was more like, more assertive than Cassie and had a worse temper than Cherie, but I think on some part, they have a lot in common❤ Cassie, just like Cherie loved to laugh and was mostly carefree before the divorce ❤ And after the divorce and everything, Cassie that Cherie got to know and was raised by had so little in common with Cassie Percy married 💔

“go touch some grass” LOLLL OMG YES?! 😂

Hugh has been spending most of his time with Kenneth ❤ And I love Iona and Lucie together! ❤

just thinking about Elias and Cece going there and every time they do they just see the life and joy slowly leave Cherie. like i can picture her getting weaker day by day and they will see that with each visit. like they’d notice the change each time and it would really be such a sad thing to see. OMG EXACTLY!

Like, Cherie would slowly change in a marriage with Pierre and not even in a good way, it would be so heartbreaking 💔

Oh the mental image of Anthony following them and grumbling 😂

Cherie was going to say yes to his proposal if she didn’t see them❤ So she kind of owes her future happiness to Elias and Cece 😂

Lucie is the voice of reason😂❤

Cherie really did have a moment of selfishness back at the duke’s study. She did! She most certainly did, and I think it’s really good that Elias let her know, because that was really thoughtless on her part, to drag him into that argument just to use him against Percy 💔

THE WALTZ, THE WALTZ!

Elias didn’t think about anyone else at all and he was right 😂 It’s his wedding so he is only focused on Cecily and being close to her ❤

Lovesick Chaotic Ass™ OH I LOVE THIS DESCRIPTION😂❤

Anthony taking his gloves off yessssss😏 I mean in his defense, it would be rude if the lady’s gloves were off and he kept his own BUT…

He wasn’t thinking about social rules, that’s for sure 😈

That’s totally all Cecily! ❤ He had to step on the breaks and not overwhelm Cherie after everything, and Cecily made sure he understood how important it was for their future and their relationship❤

And he remembers everything about their first danceeeee❤

also, also, their whole questioning portion, i feel like Anthony was just waiting for her to ask him how he feels about her. like give him an opportunity to say it. like that’s such a lovely thing bc he’s not, pushing himself to much onto her anymore. he’s being patient finally and letting her steer the convo. THIS! DEFINITELY! ❤

Cherie is setting the pace now, not him ❤ And he’s going to have to learn how to not always be in control and to let her have it instead ❤ I think it’ll be such a new experience for them both 😂❤

Wedding next chapter! ❤❤❤

Thank you so much love, you’re amazing! ❤❤ You’ve made me so happy with this! ❤❤❤

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aspiring-wildfire · 4 years

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MAG 178

Ooh back in Meatville™️

I am once again asking Basira to be nice to Jon

Martin reminding them to treat all the victims as people!!! Good for u bb I love u

“Why are they queuing?” “It’s a factory of the flesh. Use your imagination.” “...no. No, I don’t think I will” yeah good call babe

“I hate all of these loose ends... we’ll just have to tie them all up in one go, hmm? Around Elias’s neck.” MARTIN KARTIN BLACKWOOD TGE FLIP FROM ABSOLUTE COMPASSION TO MURDEROUS ANTI ELIAS THOUGHTS FUCKING STELLAR ILY BABY

“Tool cupboard. Safe enough place to wait.” “Fine.” *door opens* “Nope.” Martin you’re a fucking gem

“Could be worse, at least they’re clean” Jon you’re my favorite person in the whole wide world you fucking dork

Snarky Jon is my favorite Jon

Oh the concept of your “processing” being inevitable but the fear of it being pointless, of not being useful is rly interesting

The contract thing is very sign your life away I love it when Jonny says “fuck capitalism”

Yknow I wasn’t sure why bureaucracy was part of the flesh but it actually makes a lot of sense- the flesh is all about the fear that you’re just meat, and the uncaring bureaucracy goes a long way towards that depersonalization

Ohhh and that gives the whole “your pain is inevitable but it could be worse- it could be useless, pointless” thing a new level bc that’s what capitalism’s all about- accept your suffering, even be proud of it, bc you’re useful like this

God fuck capitalism man

Oof and the branding Jonny’s rly coming for capitalism’s dehumanizing “eat you up and spit you out” process w no qualifications or anything huh

“At last, the prospect of seeing what might happen if he runs from the line seems worth it to Tyler, but the realization sets in that it is far, far too late for that” god the whole idea of people’s fear of stepping out of line bc what if that’s even worse finally being overcome by the understanding that it couldn’t be worse than this but it’s too late to leave and you’ve missed your chance... shit man

“He could refuse. A final, petty act of rebellion against a system it feels like he has run through a hundred times. But what would be the point of that? It won’t save him. A wasted pile of discarded tissue is all that would be left. Is it not better, at least, to be useful?” God the absolute raw lines in this one fuck man I really get how you can expand very real societal systems into overwhelming cosmic horror through this it’s amazing and also oh my god

Amazing job Jonny

Also alex on the soundscaping! I’m having a Bad Time

Martin defending Jon to Basira!!! I’m soft

Martin continuing to treat the victims as people I love my boy

“Recognize her.” “...no. I don’t think I do” “that wasn’t a question” Jon forcing Basira to confront daisy’s police brutality!! Good job hun!! Acab!!!

“Someone has died! Show some respect! Or don’t you care?” get her Martin

“Daisy’s the only person I could ever rely on, and she... she did things, terrible things, and I... I refused to see it, or, said it was my duty, or whatever. I don’t know.”

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE SEIGE MENTALITY FUCK YEAH DUDE

“I wanted to help people, you know? When I first joined. Protect people. But then I saw what some of those same people were capable of, and... something changed. I wanted to hurt them, the ones that deserved it, and it... it felt good. It felt righteous. I thought I could feel the line though. I really did. Eventually, though, it was too much... I was going to quit. I couldn't take what I saw myself becoming. But... then I got sectioned, and suddenly... suddenly it turned out there were real monsters out there, and, well, that just made the power feel better. So things kept slipping. But Daisy was always there for me.” “All those innocent people...” “Were they? Innocent?” “Some. And if not? What crime warrants what was done to them?” 👏👏👏👏

“She was trying to be better” “she was. But she never asked me to forgive her.” “Forgive her?” “I’ve been scared, terrified for my life so many times these last few years. But I’ve never, not once, felt so horribly, abjectly, powerless as when she took me into that forest to kill me. I’ll never forget it.” Jon having the police brutality he faced as the most traumatic event of his life when he’s been so thoroughly traumatized in so many ways really drives that point home god

“Would you have forgiven her?” “No. But she never asked me. She knew she had no right.”

I’m very torn bc while I do totally get why a lot of people hate daisy and it’s absolutely fair I’m still sad that practically the only person who was really there for Jon in season four isn’t gonna be able to come back. I just want my boy to have a support network man

“No one gets what they deserve. Not in this place. They just get whatever hurts them the most. Even me.” I AM CONCERNED

#im really worried about jon man #jonathan sims defense squad #2k always #tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #martin blackwood #basira hussein #alice daisy tonner #mag 178

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wetalkinboutbooks · 3 years

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New Year, New Review 🤩

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

Summary: The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows. (Taken from Goodreads)

Our Ratings:

→ Geena: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

→ Kae: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall: The final instalment of the Ember Quartet had us crying in the metaphorical club. It’s exciting, terrifying, and probably the horniest book in the series and we loved it!

~Spoiler-full discussion below~

The Good:

→ Elias and Laia

Geena: In the final instalment of the Ember quartet, Sabaa deprives us of an Elias POV and slaps us with the Soulcatcher instead… He’s very much an ‘emotions are bad’ type of dude, the opposite of Elias who always had so many… but both of them are so angsty? The Soulcatcher really likes to beat up trees when his memories from when he was Elias resurface which was so emo to me. Despite being possessed by Mauth he is also such a coward, especially around Laia, because Elias’ feelings for Laia scare him and every single time he is like *running emoji*. We were surprised that Sabaa let him remain the soulcatcher for so long, every chapter I was like ‘Okay, maybe this is where Elias breaks through…’ but no.. Elias remained buried UNTIL their night in the cabin… the Soulcatcher was like ‘k I’m out’ but ONLY for ONE NIGHT and that still makes me scream.. The Soulcatcher was like ‘you kids are too horny for me, I’m gonna take a nap for a bit and let Elias take over bc Jesus.’

Despite it all, the Soulcatcher’s chapters were enjoyable albeit painful because this man was so duty bound, like even Elias wasn’t that dedicated when he was a Mask. But near the end, when we finally get the chapter that starts with Elias…. Ngl I cried a little, and immediately wanted to reread the whole series (I feel like Sabaa did this on purpose to torture us). I want to fight Sabaa though, like she did an amazing job showing how Elias’ conscious and the Soulcatcher’s conscious were constantly fighting one another, and how Elias’ memories of the people he loved ultimately fuelled the Soulcatcher’s actions… even though the Soulcatcher was like ‘I’m doing this for the ghosts’ like okay… no ghost told you to keep protecting and kissing Laia but you still did it…

Kae: Okay, so Geena summed up my boy Ilyaas pretty damn well. Also, we LOVE HIS ETHNIC NAME IN THIS HOUSE. But um, YES. Elias was a sad boy ™ the whole time while fighting his emotions and ultimately losing. It was so PAINFUL as a reader, seeing all of his chapters except the ONE say ‘Soulcatcher’. But when it finally said ELIAS again, I too, started to cry. Because he was BACK.

You can all thank the power of Laia’s determination to seduce Elias back to himself, because our girl was NOT giving up. She said ‘you gonna get this coochie, dammit’ and in the cabin, Elias was like ‘well i’ll be damned. I sure as hell am. I am BACK BAYBEEEEE’

Geena: Sabaa Tahir said horny rights like ksjdnfdsjknfsdk

Kae: AUFVAHLHVKJ. BUT YES. In the end, love won. And so did sex because everyone was doin it or TRYING to do it. I guess when the world is ending, you only get one last time to uhh…. Have a good time. So they made sure they did lmao

Now, let’s get into Laia.

Laia. My sweet little cupcake. My mug of tea with too much honey. This girl has been through literal hell and back, and yet, she kept going. She NEVER gave up. Laia woke up in book 4 like ‘Today i will commit crimes. Helene and I crave violence’ and they both just started kicking ASS and I LOVED THAT. I was really happy to see the progression of Laia and Helen’s friendship and how they genuinely grew to like one another and see each other as besties. They both deserved a girl friend and I’m glad they found a friendship within each other.

Laia is the bravest character in this damn book. She went from poor scholar, to slave, to hero and she was brave because she had to be. Laia is strong and took on their entire world. She had help, but she did a lot of it alone and that takes some real guts. She is the most genuine, sweetest, bravest girl and I love her. <3

Laia also single handedly brought the Ilyaas back from his Soulcatcher shit. During this whole book she was just like ‘You know what? I think I’mma go mess with Elias’ emo ass today to see if I can get him to kiss me or something’ THEN SHE PROCEEDED TO SHOW UP AT THIS MANS HOUSE (realm or whatever) BUTTASS NEKKID. And he saw her and immediately flew the hell out of there it was TOO MUCH and he LIKED IT but couldn’t admit it.

Geena: You know what I love about that whole scene was like earlier she was like ‘He’s a lost cause idc’ and then Darin was like ‘Elias wouldn’t give up on you if that happened’ and Laia was like ‘you’re right, he would show up stark naked and try to seduce me back to my body’ and she did just that...

Kae: SHE DID. SHE SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT! Like, her entire mission was to bring Elias back while also planning on taking down the Nightbringer. But she was straight up like ‘okay but not before i get my man back through SEDUCTION’. Ugh, the mango scene? Superb.

Geena: Laia is hands down one of my favourite book characters to exist. Her journey from the first book being a scared girl with a missing brother, to being the face of a revolution… like the GROWTH. Like Kae mentioned, she and Helene end up as BESTIIEESSSS, and I was surprised at how natural they seemed. Because we went from them hating each other to close friends, but despite not seeing their development, it came off so natural? So, I loved that!

Kae covered Laia’s character pretty thoroughly, she was both a horndog and a bad bitch. Like this girl has pretended to be a Slave for the Commandment to travelling a desert by herself and facing off a squad of Jinn… In retrospect, Laia is a unique case, she’s allowed to be kind and caring and doesn’t have to be a fighter type to be strong. She’s not the chosen one, which this book made clear, it could’ve been anyone to fight the Nightbringer… but only Laia was strong enough to love him AND defy him. And I just love her a lot… she was very much an anime protagonist with the power of love, family, and friendship… anyways I love her and that’s all I have to say

→ Helene

Geena: The way I ended up liking and rooting for Helene this book? Came out of left field. To be honest, in previous books I didn’t feel much for her other than ‘stop chasing after Elias and Laia pls.’ But this book I wanted her to win, especially with the fight against the germanic-esque invaders. She goes through substantial development, no longer seeing Scholars as slaves and taking their opinions seriously.. Like Laia, Musa, and Darin were all a part of her crew. A stark difference from Book 1 Helene, who thought Scholars only had one role in the world and that was slaves.

Helene… like Laia… really has the Ember equivalent of hot girl summer with Harper… all the time she spends denying it she is like *jumps on him the chance she gets*. The bath scene… Helene’s power was turning her tortuer into her MAN… But also Sabaa said that ‘yes she has changed, but she has to repent for her sins’ and that’s why Helene is basically left alone at the end (save for Laia, Elias, and Musa).

Kae: So not gonna lie, I never actually disliked Helene. I saw her as the flawed character she was in the beginning. During her cat and mouse chase with Elias and Laia in the beginning, she would piss me OFF because like, that’s your BEST FRIEEEEEND. JUST STAAAAHP. But also, it was him or her and her family's death, so I get it. But I always saw potential in her to be better. And thank GOODNESS she went through all that character development. Because she was a damn menace in the beginning.

Also like Geena mentioned; Helly and Harper finally hooking up? I swear the heavens opened up in that moment because EVERYONE could feel their tension. LIKE JUST DO IT ALREADY. You can’t fight love, baybeeee

Watching Helly grow as a person was really rewarding as a reader. Like Geena said, she went from hating scholars to being like ‘hmm, maybe my opinions are shitty?’ and straight up changed. I also feel for her because she lost her ENTIRE family and like, honestly? I would’ve given up. BUT SHE DIDN’T. She’s a literal fighter, bred for this shit. So she FOUGHT. And I was really scared she was gonna get murked because y’all know Keris’ tiny evil ass doesn’t have a chill button. And when they were fighting? I was like LAWD PLS DON’T TAKE HELLY. But instead he took Harper *upside down smiley face* SO THAT WAS FUCKED UP AND I WASN’T READY FOR IT. But a piece of me knew it was coming.

The Bad:

→ Darin and Harper

Geena: As Kae mentioned… Harper kicked the can in this book :’( His eventual fall came from loving and caring for Helene too much, which left him open and gave Keris the chance to stab him. Harper was basically Helene’s heart outside her body, and when he went down so did Helene. I had had a feeling when Book 3 ended that Harper wouldn’t make it, but I WASN’T HAPPY ABOUT BEING RIGHT FOR ONCE… Harper had finally met his brother (Elias) and hadn’t even had a chance to meet the real Elias and talk to him about their father or other sibling stuff. LIKE OF ALL CHARACTER DEATHS… AND THERE WAS A LOT… The other one that came out of left field was fucking Darin of Serra… DARIN… THE ONE DUDE WE SPENT TWO WHOLE BOOKS SAVING… DEAD WITH A SNAP OF HIS NECK!! I WAS SO MAD

LIKE SABAA HAD US THINKING HE WAS GONNA BE SAFE, SHE GAVE HIM A LIL GIRLFRIEND AND EVERYTHING BUT THEN SHE GOES.. AND KILLS HIM?? JUST LIKE THAT?? Then we had to read the scenes where Elias helps both Darin and Harper pass over into the afterlife and I was just *cries angrily*

Kae: Well, THAT was sad. Have you ever just like, felt your heart break into a million tiny irreparable pieces? That’s how I felt when Darin and Harper died. Because like, they were both trying to save the women they loved. Darin to Laia, (foolishly so against the Nightbringer) but I would do it for my little sister too. And Harper with Helene against evilass Keris. Dude, that shit just sucked. It hurt to read. It hurt to imagine the girls feeling the pain of their deaths. They were both such good men. And DARIIIN.

Darin didn’t have to go out like that, man. It was such a harsh death. No last words. It was just over and his body was just gone. I wish Laia would’ve been able to talk with him at The Waiting Place at least one last time. But it is what it is. I hated to see both of them go. Especially since Darin pretty much sparked this whole series.

Sure, Laia, Helene, and Elias were the main characters. But Darin was the spark that started the fire. And he didn’t even get to see it’s flames extinguished.

Geena: He was the ember in the ashes… literally like Sabaa uses that for Elias and Laia but it applies to Darin the most

Kae: LITCHRALLY gonna get teary eyed over here. Our boys deserved better :(

Conclusion

Geena: This was not at all a disappointing end to the series we’ve followed closely for so long. The different plot points and character arcs were tied up nicely, and Sabaa Tahir showed us once again why she’s one of the best fantasy writers on this side of the Milky Way. We didn’t even bother including a ‘The Ugly’ section because we loved it too much ksfmsd. The only qualm I’d have with the end was the empire remaining, Helene recognized the Scholars as equals but centuries of pain isn’t easily forgotten you know? SO THAT’S WHY I THINK WE DESERVE A SEQUEL SERIES… BUT I DIGRESS… OVERALL, I loved this book and the ending for all the characters ESPECIALLY FOR OUR GIRL LAIA <3

Kae: YES. I AGREE 100% WITH GEENA. It was such a beautiful end to the series. Sabaa is GENIUS and her storytelling is phenomenal. I loved every little surprise she’s hidden in all of the books. ESPECIALLY WITH COOK BEING ALIVE? I DIDN’T SEE THAT SHIT COMING AT ALL. LIKE HOLY SHIT? So Laia had some remaining family afterall, and I think that’s very sweet. I’m really sad to see the series be over with and Geena and I are both *~HOPIIIING~* for an epilogue or some little crumbs or SOMETHING with the gang and how their lives ended up into middle adulthood or something.

Geena: I would literally take a single paragraph… Ms. Tahir…. Blease…

Kae: But yes, in conclusion, Laia has a heart of gold and we LOVE HER. She’s brave and strong and smart, and was the only one out of THOUSANDS to stick for herself and defy the Nightbringer, and save the whole world. Helene has come a long way and she developed beautifully as a character. And Elias. Ohhh, Ilyaas. His continued self sacrifice and bravery and love still helped him live in the end and I think that’s beautiful.

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movetogetherau · 7 years

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1/... Um, these tweets make me so sad. I forgot about how ugly things can get when ppl are just out there making assumptions and judgments based on mistaken assumptions. Assuming Yousef cheated😕, assuming SANA SLEPT WITH YOUSEF☹️(excuse me fan-1-up to Sana what she does, 2-y'all should respect her boundaries and believe her words) "to keep him by her side" (and then judging her🙄); ugh, that #legendsonly tweet😞🙄😡; omg and this about losing respect for Sana?!?!?💔 1/a million(12)

2/12 Wow,"Luke"🙄ugh🙄this is so heartbreaking. So much judgment. OMG and these tumblr rants and fights😨🙁-there's just so much vitriol being spilled-I dont like it(but it's kind of exactly how the rumor wheel spins and spews terrible shit and then ppl just react based on nothing but their assumptions). HTLive, I....just can't with you rn, ok?🙄😔😟-1-keep "old dance partner" out of it, 2-THEY ARE JUST DORKS (😍😇💘) WHO LIKE TO TWEET AND TAKE PICS, 3-abt the girl? see#1, 4-Ugh I knew the house3/12 thing would be a mess😰 “I mean girl, you can do whatever you want with your life but isn’t that a little too much?” -If she can do what she wants with her life, then that means no buts and you can take your judgment and just, like, step off, ok? Like-FIRST OF ALL,her values are her own, not “things” for outsiders to use against her and second of all, just like, stop☹️ making😖assumptions😫stop..judging☹️?please😖?-Also, PROTECT YOUSANA AT ALL COSTS, my poor bbs- (I don’t know if you didn’t send number 4 )5/12 HER LIFE IS BETTER NOW-SHE JUST CONFIRMED IT TO OTHER PEOPLE/HERSELF LAST CH!😨😨😫😫Ok Sana, I love you, but maybe not the best time to be cracking jokes🤔😁🙄.OMG YOUSEF YOU SAD SAD PUPPY😨“Do you want to break up with me?”😨☹️😫😫😫😫. “‘No. That’s something I would never do.’”😍😱😕Well🤔I guess we know what’s coming😒YUP (fuck you Robert I hate you). This entire exchange is disgusting and I hate it-I hate how they dont care about the Balloon Boys MV, I hate how they dont care about6/12 how Sana and Yousef feel right now, I hate how it doesn’t matter what the truth is, just what the “press” says and “reputations”-I hate it all. It makes me very sad. OMG Sana and Yousef using the pretext of the video as a way to stay together 😨😇😖😫😭-ok so they are so fucking pure and adorable that as soon as they look at each other their entire demeanors change😖😍😫😭(PROTECT THEM! PLEASE!)-Oh no. they’re breaking up. Sigh.7/12 OMG Sana, your FIRST (secret) goal is to clear Yousef’s name, and then you think about yourself?🙄😍😫? If I didnt know you were in so much pain I would cancel you right fucking now. I hate this reporter. I hate everything about this. OMG SANA!😫😫😫. I-AM-SAD-I-CANNOT-THINK-ANYMORE-I-AM-JUST💔💔💔💔💔💔💔😖😖😖😖😖😖😭😭😭😭😭. Same, Yousef. Omg you changed your stupid rule about your $)&)#& playlist but you couldn’t tell Sana how you felt? Yeah...I hate you. 8/12*pause to listen to song, and curse (in my head) at the writers who decided to fuck with their readers by making this THEIR NEW SONG* istg this !(*$*^*($#* is a sign-Yousef, you moron, just listen to the fucking lyrics🙄😡-but also: 😫😫😫-Aw Fariha, I’m so conflicted about you rn, bc you mean well, but like….what u doing, girl🙄 @HTLive: get out of my face, seriously. “We hope that this break up was as friendly as it can be considering the circumstances.”🙄😒😡🖕🏽9/12 ELIAS!MY CAPTAIN! ☹️You’re getting dragged into this as well☹️☹️☹️ (this is so messy). OMG😨😰the music video😕it is here🙁oh they hit play😟and they’re remembering😣rehearsals💃🏽😖and do you trust me😫and coffee dates (i mean, “breaks”)☕️💔😩THE ROOF😍😱💔😢THEIR FULL DAY DATE💔😭and the rain😖😭and then spending the night at the Bakkoush residence💔😱😖😭and waking up😱😖😖and families😭😭and BABIES😖😖😖😭😭😭😭AND💘💔😖😭and now alone. 💔😖😭💔😖😭💔😭😭😭😭😭😭😖😖😖😭😭😭😭😫😫😫😫😫10/12 (Ok I seriously don’t even know how to move past the watching the mv sequence😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭). Ugh Yousef you adorable puppy😫😭 and trying to defend and protect Sana at all costs😭😫😇😫And admitting your love💔😫😭-Sana-I KNOW. And she sees right through him😫😫😫😫-FUCK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS: HIS CONTACT NAME😫😫😫😫I HATE YOU ALL JUST TWIST THE KNIFE YOU SHOVED INTO MY HEART THATS FINE. 🎶💔😖😭-Wooowwwww-that edit is FUCKED UP(👀👩🏼☕️💔😖😭🙅🏽🙅🏽🙅🏽🙅🏽) 11/12 Hi Elias☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️-OMG AND OF COURSE THE PAIN CONTINUES AND NOW ITS BACK TO YOUSEF TO FEEL THE PAIN💔😫😫+🎶💔😖😭; PICK UP THE PHONE YOU IDIOT! IT’S THE SHIP CAPTAIN YOU CANT JUST BE IGNORING HIM ESP WHEN YOU HAVENT EVEN CHANGED THE FUCKING BACKGROUND IN YOUR PHONE GET OUT OF MY FACE YOUSEF. OMG DONT CLICK ON IG BRO☹️! ‘Still not able to just call Sana and tell her how he feels. Still not able to do that and ruin Sana’s happiness just because he dared to fall in love.”-I’m….😫 12/12 YOOOOOOO: 🎶💔😖😭(STOP TWISTING THE KNIFE OK IT’S ALREADY THERE IN MY HEART AND IT HURTS). Yousef! I just want to give you a hug! STOP THIS RIGHT NOW AND TELL SOMEONE (or maybe Baba Bakkoush will save the day? Or Yousef’s cousin? Or...Yousana themselves?!?!?)In conclusion I hate the 2 of you rn for being so talented and messing with my ❤️ like this, even though yeah it had to blow up at some point and the fall out is pretty much in line with how the media can be. 💔

Omg thank you for this long reaction and WE’RE SORRY!

All the social media things... we wanted to keep it as realistic as possible and sadly that’s how it is with rumours and so on (that doesn’t mean we didn’t get super angry at the tweets and stuff that we made up)Okay but that Ashley girl from Hollywood Today with the YouTube videos: I got so mad at her even when she’s made up. Noelia can tell you how irrationally mad I got hahaha“PROTECT YOUSANA AT ALL COSTS“ MOOD!“fuck you Robert I hate you“ Another character we made up that I hate... writing this chapter was really nerve wracking hahah + “I hate everything about this.” About that song: Well, I heard it and was like ‘Okay this is perfect for this chapter’ and told Noelia so we had to include it. Sorry for making you sufferFariha really just means well :DThese idiots just love suffering... “PICK UP THE PHONE YOU IDIOT! IT’S THE SHIP CAPTAIN YOU CANT JUST BE IGNORING HIM” I burst out laughing at this but yes, Yousef should listen to you“STOP TWISTING THE KNIFE OK IT’S ALREADY THERE IN MY HEART AND IT HURTS” SORRY!!!

And finally, thank you! For always leaving these amazing reactions. We love reading them! And answering is always a lot of fun too! And thank you for saying it’s in line with how the media can be because we wanted it to be as realistic as possible. :D

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wetalkinboutbooks · 4 years

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A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Summary: Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both. (Taken from Goodreads)

Our Ratings:

→ Geena: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

→ Kae: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall: Sabaa Tahir manages to avoid the second book curse with A Torch Against the Night, she picks up where she left off in An Ember in the Ashes (our review). Laia and Elias have escaped Blackcliff, Helene and the rest of the Masks are after them, and Darrin has yet to be saved. Everything that could go wrong DOES go wrong, but then at the same time, we get some wholesome moments in this book and overall we LOVED IT!!!

~ Spoiler-full review below

The Good:

→ Laia

Kae: Laia. Our sweet little angel. She can never do anything wrong ever in life. We love her and we stan. She has broken Elias out of Blackcliff and now they’re on the run! It’s a hot ass mess. She and Elias escape through some catacombs or whatever, and they end up at an old Veturius warehouse where Keris, Elias’ evil ass mother is waiting for them. They battle it out! CLASH SLASH SLASH! Swords and scims are SWANGIN. They knock Keris out, tie her up, and get away. But… Keris done got a little slice in and cut Elias. Now he’s sick, seizing, and passed TF OUT. So while he and Laia are on this journey, taking care of him the whole way through. Things are getting worse and Elias is getting WORSE. So she takes a risk and goes to a sketchy town to find meds for him. The destination to find safety and also rescue her brother, Darrin is going to take a long longer than she anticipated.

Geena: Kae got the start of the book really well, and like she mentioned we find out the Keris managed to cut Elias with a throwing star (lmao I THINK) which was poisoned. But Elias doesn't let Laia know that he’s been poisoned by a chemical that has no cure and that he’ll just end up slowly and painfully dying 😭 LAIA THO? She thinks of everything she can to help him, like going into a shady town full of mercenaries and killers to find him an antidote that she thinks might work. Does that backfire? Yes. But did she try her best? HELL YES. Laia makes a lot of mistakes in this book, but rather than wallowing in some sort of self-pity she takes shit into her own hands and learns from her screw-ups and I really loved how Sabaa handled her. A lot of people drag Laia down and compare her to Helene, and I think I mentioned this in our last review too that those comparisons aren’t right because:

Helene is a trained soldier, and she got white feminists antics so please…

Laia literally has had no training but she (with Elias) manage to outsmart Helene and other Masks so like…..

Anyways, I love Laia and I’ll fight ANYONE who talks shit about her. Scratch that, Elias will manifest and beat the shit out of anyone that talks shit about Laia. Like even when she was hanging out with Keenan, Elias was like ‘If it weren’t for my love for Laia I would have murdered your ass’ just because he suspected Keenan of being a snake (and he was right…). But yea, in Book 2 Laia takes command of what happens and starts formulating her own plans along with help from her companions, and she doesn’t let any backfired plans stop her (even when Izzy died 😩). When Elias is captured and imprisoned she plans to break out both him and her brother, and through quick thinking, she and Elias are able to devise a plan which obviously goes to shit but still ends up working out... So Laia haters… how my ass taste?

→ Ilyaas and the Tribes

Kae: Geena summed up Laia perfectly! So now we’re going to talk about Ilyaas and the tribes. Elias, as we all know, was abandoned by his mother when he was a baby. She left him in the desert for the tribes people to find instead of just killing him, which she deeply regrets. SO!! Elias is not his birth name. His birth name is Ilyaas, which is the name given to him by the tribes people. They are who Elias considers to be his real family. He has siblings, a mother (Mamie Rila), friends, and more, who he grew up with before he was taken to go to Black Cliff. Here is where Ilyaas feels the most comfortable with himself and his surroundings. He feels his safest when he is with the tribes. He had kept in contact with them his whole life and continued to do so even after being on the run which is why they ended up back with the tribes. They took him in and consider him family and when they met Laia, they instantly loved her. Especially Mamie Rila, who thought she had “GOOD BIRTHING HIPS” LMAOOO SHE WILD FOR THAT ONE. Anyway, when Elias and Laia show up as fugitives, they know they have to hide them. So Mamie Rila and family keep them hidden. When the Martial’s come riding the camp and looking for them, they figure out a distraction. Mamie Rila calls a big meeting during a special ceremony in which she gives a speech. During the speech, she riles everyone up and shit talks to Martials and what they did to Elias and how they are ruining society. This gives the tribal people the motivation to cause a big enough riot for Elias and Laia to book it! Elias runs into Helene during their escape and they meet for the first time in weeks, possibly months. Helene is stunned, but Elias tells her he is sorry and he misses her. After a good fight, Elias gets the best of Helene. She ends up letting them get away.

Geena: Kae really hit all the points! I really liked how Sabaa mentioned that Elias’ (Martial) grandpa changed his name from the given Ilyaas and anglicized it for Martial society (shoutout to Colonialism ha ha). But Ilyaas and his connection with his family is one of the things that sets him apart from other YA protagonists I’ve noticed, he’s genuinely a good person and it’s because he was raised in such a loving and caring environment and my hort 🥺 In this book he stays on the same trend of always getting into shit bc he’s a good guy, he’s vowed to help Laia break out Darrin but then shit goes down… The poison killing him sends him to the Waiting Place (essentially a purgatory) where he meets the Soul Catcher (Shaeva) who helps him come to terms with the fact he’s dying. Through Ilyaas we also learn about what lead to the creation of the Nightbringer (how the Shaeva helped some Scholars essentially destroy a thriving Jinn community r.i.p.). This is spread throughout the book and really enhances Sabaa’s worldbuilding and we loved it! Also, we can’t forget the rawest lines throughout the whole series which was said in this book:

“You are my temple. You are my priest. You are my prayer. You are my release.”

LIKE HELLO?????????????????????????????????????? When Elias realized he only had a month left to live and that he’d move faster without the tribal folk, he leaves Laia and whispers that to her while she’s asleep and SHE DOESN’T EVEN HEAR IT BRO?? Anyways, Elias leaves to bust Darrin out himself but things happen and he ends up imprisoned, but still manages to get to Darrin and finds out that KEENAN’S BITCHASS ISN’T WHO HE SAYS HE IS.

Kae: Also when Elias breaks into the prison he’s almost immediately caught by the Warden who experiments on the prisoners. These prisoners are mostly the scholars. So the Warden recognizes Elias from when he has to patrol the prison when he was younger. When the Warden recognizes Elias, he puts him in prison and it begins to torture him. But Elias ain’t no bitch so he handles that shit like a MAN!!! Whenever the Warden is done with Elias he sends in a little Scholar boy to clean him up. The boy continues to clean Elias up and be nice to him and Elias is like “I love this child as if he were my own. I will kill ANYONE who does him HARM and there will be MURDER.” And so like, Elias is a softie and once again, genuinely a good person that is out in bad situations.

Geena: Elias engaged dad mode in the middle of a torture chamber, imagine what’ll happen if he and Laia ever have children….

Kae: Need me a man like Elias ngl asdfghjkl. BUT LIKE. HE’S LIKE “my new son… what is your name?” And the little boy is like “Puhpa.. I have no name*insert sad eyes here*” So Elias names him Tas. Tas helps him break out of prison with Darrin. But Elias dies as they’re escaping and he goes to the Waiting Place and he makes a deal with Shaeva to take her place so she can move on to the next life, then BOOM. He’s alive again and wakes back up in the prison.

Tas: Yo wtf wake yo big ass up. I, a six year old, have been carrying you.

Elias: LMAOOO my bad I was dead. Let’s roll.

And so they escape with Darrin and Laia and the rest of the Scholars. And Kauf burns down.

The Bad:

→ Keris

Geena: Keris may not be a good person or a good mother but at least…………………………… I was trying to think of something good to say about her but this bitch really is all trash. Like she finds some sort of sick joy in killing her own son. Like, why let him live after you gave birth to him only to turn around and torture him. Anyways, we find out some interesting tidbits about how she’s in cahoots with the Nightbringer, who seems to be controlling everything she does. And we also find out that she’s planning a coup against Markus, who is the new and shitty emperor, but because the support behind him is weak Keris is like ‘This will be no biggie’. She finds some sort of sick joy in killing scholars, she wakes up and is like “I eat genocide for breakfast,” and I’m like *monkey side eye* bc who in the fuck... Like I don’t know what she was fed growing up but the concentration of hate and bitterness in this woman is too much… we also find out she had Helene’s torturer, Avitas Harper, spying on Helene throughout the whole book. Keris doesn’t just have eyes in the back of her head, she got eyes on every living surface.

→ Harper

Kae: Harper! I didn’t like him when he was first introduced. I didn’t like the fact that he was beating the shit out of Helene even though I wasn’t exactly a fan of her either but I understood that she had to do what she had to do so she wasn’t a number one on my enemy list just yet. But I hated having to read Harper whoop her ass. I mean, Harper didn’t LIKE doing it. But ya kno… Keris made him do it. Harper started off as a spy for Keris. He was assigned to basically be Helene’s second, so he was to aid her in whatever mission she was sent on , while also reporting everything she did back to Keris. LITTLE DID WE KNOW THO!!! THAT OUR BOY AVITAS HARPER DIDNT FUCK WITH KERIS. He had his own personal motives that we don’t discover in this book. So after awhile he was like “....nah I’m done with that.” So he becomes loyal to Helene. He shows mild displays of not wanting to kill anyone that doesn’t need to be killed (the tribes after they helped Elias escape). He also goes out of his way to make sure Helene eats and gets sleep and has fresh clothes. I think little things like that is how he tries to show his loyalty. He also knows that Helene has a soft spot for Elias and that she doesn’t really want to hurt him. We learned that he has a soft heart and is a pretty cool dude. He really just wants to help Helene in any way that he can. He worries for her.

Geena: Harper has always been a shady character for me, like I didn’t expect Sabaa to turn Helene’s torturer into her love interest… WHEN I TELL U I SCREAMED at all their moments I was LIKE WAT IS THIS but I sat back because I was like imma trust Sabaa. But it was interesting to read Harper be like “Yea, I’m a snake and?” and Helene just accepting it like “This is my life I guess”. But Harper wanting to emulate Elias and being like “Maybe I too will attempt to be a good human being now”... a very interesting development… Also, Im curious to see how Harper (and by extension, Helene’s) stories end… will Sabaa give the soldiers of the state a happy ending… DO they deserve a happy ending 🤔 Will they make up for their war crimes in the series finale? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z.

Kae: ALSO THO. WHEN HELENE TELLS HARPER HE’S A SNAKE, HARPER IS LIKE “Yeah and Snakes survive soooo…”

→ Markus

Kae: So now we have skankass Markus. Markus used to have a twin brother named Zacharias. Markus killed Zacharias in the first book during the trials and now his twin brother haunts him and whispers in his ear. People claim that Markus talks to himself when it’s really him trying to get his brother out of his head. After the trials, Markus became Emperor. He is a tyrant and is killing whoever gets in his way. Markus is doing everything in his power to stay relevant because he is a very unliked by literally everyone in this society. He is a Plebeian and that is one of the lower ranking caste in this world. The Martials don’t like that someone of a lower rank is in charge of all of them so they want him off of the throne. He also has a lust/hate thing for Helene and tries to belittle and make her uncomfortable as much as possible. He also absolutely hates Elias and has ordered Helene to kill him. Markus ALSO arranged to marry Helene’s sister, Hannah. Hannah is kind of a bitch so she’s down with the shits to get back at Helene. Why she hates Helene? I seriously don’t know. In the end, Markus is like “So you didn’t kill Elias? *evil laughter* Well, since I can’t kill YOU, Helene, I’ll kill your family” so he slices the neck of Helene‘s parents and his fiancé, Hannah. He leaves Livia (Livvy) alive and married her instead. Ngl, that part made me so sad I got tears in my eyes. That was so fucked up dude. That’s when I KNEW Sabaa didn’t fuck around. I’m convinced she wants no survivors in the end lmaopleasedontdothatSabaa.

Geena: Oh yea like Markus is nasty as Kae outlined, he could’ve been Keris. But unlike Keris, Markus is a dispshit with no braincells (bc they died with his brother). He’s a disgusting human being who assaulted Laia back in book one and has been implied to have done that to other scholar slaves 🤢 AND LIKE …….. HELENE KNEW THIS……. AND SHE KNEW HER SISTER WAS TOO GOOD FOR HIM…. So, imagine her horror when her favourite sister is forced to marry him….. I guess he was “smart” for marrying her favourite sister and realizing that was the only way to control Helene to get her to do what he wanted. bUt das it.

The Ugly:

→ Keenan’s Fugly Ass. Bitchass. Manipulating ass.

Geena: Do you know…. Do you know how much denial I was in??? All through book 1 and majority of book 2, I was like FUCK KEENAN but seeing how Laia was into him I was like *angry pingu meme* LIke FINE FINE, I’ll like him because Laia likes him and I just want him to be happy. SO, I ACCEPTED THAT KEENAN AND LAIA WAS THE IT COUPLE… And like did I skim over the part where they got nasty? Kinda. But i was like okay fine, Laia loves him and he’s helping her. But then the big reveal…. THIS MANS WAS PLAYING HER THE WHOLE TIME??? HE WAS NEVER KEENAN, THE SCHOLAR REBEL, THIS HOE WAS THE NIGHTBRINGER THE WHOLE TIME??????? He’d played Laia into developing feelings for him, JUST SO that he could take the armlet that he mother had given her. Which, we find out, is an important part of some weapon that the Nightbringer needs to bring about the apocalypse or some shit. And, he can only take the weapon if it’s given out of love. This implies he was in love with Laia too, but I’d fight that bitch like hOW DARE YOU????

Kae: You skipped the nasty scene!? LMAOOO I WAS SHOOK BUT ALSO MAD BUT ALSO LIKE OKAY WHATEVER. I WAS A HARDCORE LAIA X ELIAS SHIPPER FROM THE START! But like, same. I was like “If Laia is happy with Keenan, then I’ll be happy too.” But maaaaann…

Geena: I WANTED TO GIVE KEENAN BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT OKAY, AND LIKE SABAA really subverted my expectations because usually in YA only the true love interests end up getting nasty so I was like… I guess this is it! But she was like “SIKE!!! YOU THOUGHT!!!” Anyways, I still don’t think this series should be YA but whatever...

Kae: GORL I WAS SEETHING WITH HATRED!!!!!!! AT THAT REVEAL!! I WAS SO FUCKING MAD. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!! I LITERALLY HATE HIM. Def shouldn’t be YA. But, here we areeee!

Kae: I just wanted to say that I hate Keenan/ The Nightbringer with a BURNING PASSION. I hate when guys trick women into trusting them so that they can sleep with them and get what they want. That pisses me off to the highest degree I think it is a scumbag move and he is just a dirty little fucker and I can’t stand him. There is nothing that can represent all of the hatred that I have for Keenan. I absolutely loathe him/The Nightbringer. I hope he suffers.

Geena: Fuck dude, that’s so valid.

Conclusion

Kae: In conclusion, the Nightbringer is a bitch and I HATE HIM.

Geena: SAME! We hate the Nightbringer as much as we love Laia and Elias so there’s that. Sabaa really shows out with the characters she’s crafted from An Ember in the Ashes, takes a baseball bat, and starts beating the shit out of our emotions and her characters at the same time. ANYWAYS, please read this series!

#a torch against the night #Sabaa Tahir #Laia of Sera #Elias Veturius #book review #booklr #bookworm #wetalkingboutbooks #book blog #book blogger #bookblr #books #reading #Helene Aquilla #Avitas Harper #An Ember in the Ashes #instabooks #bookstagram

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