A Torch Against the Night

The first book in this series became one of my favorites last summer. This sequel doesn't disappoint. Laia, Elias, Helene, Izzy, Keris, Keenan and a new cast of characters pick up where we left off. Elias and Laia on the run to save her brother Darin who is wasting away in Kauf prison. Helene on the hunt as Blood Shrike on a mission to kill her best friend at the behest of the new Emperor. No one is safe, everyone is in peril. Not all survive.  This is a society where no one can be trusted and sacrifices are the way of life. Keris, Elias's evil mother is on a  mission to kill all Scholars, which include Laia. She is determined to end Darin as he has the secret to making the kind of steel that can help kill the Masks, of which Elias was formerly a part of. Keris has a diabolical plan that will crush Laia and her son. But all is not lost. Helene is halfheartedly searching for Elias to protect her family. When it comes down to it, will she be able to capture him to save her family? Will Elias be able to defy fate and make a deal for his life? Will Laia be able to choose who she loves without breaking the heart of the other? Can Darin stay alive until help arrives? This is a fast paced story told from three points of view. I love all the characters and hate that we lose some of them in this sequel. If you love Sarah Maas's books, you will love this series that starts with An Ember in the Ashes. I couldn't put it down, except when I had to grade an ever growing pile of papers. I look forward to the next as I jump into Empire of Storms, which I am told will destroy me. Don't know if I'm ready for that, but I miss Rowan, Celaena and the gang so I guess I'll take my chances. Happy reading my friends!