Why don’t I like this series more? 3.5/5.
The blurb: I won’t post the blurb here because it does contain spoilers for book 1. However, if you’d like to know more, you can check out my review of book 1, An Ember in the Ashes.
My take:
My experience of book 1 of this series – An Ember in the Ashes – was fine. Just fine, nothing more. The story failed to grab me until the final few chapters and I wasn’t sure why.
Thankfully, I did enjoy A Torch Against the Night more than book 1. As opposed to the first book, in this latest installment the characters literally and figuratively went somewhere while on a journey across country and this gave the plot some much needed oomph (highly technical term there). We also got an extra character viewpoint, which was refreshing.
Unfortunately, my main, rather large problem remains: I don’t give two hoots about any of the characters. That’s not to say I don’t like them, I like the main three characters fine, I just don’t particularly care what happens to them.
And this is a great shame. This series is well-written and the plot is starting to take on a solid shape. I can see that if you cared about the characters you would be easily hooked and the story would be gripping, so I’m sad I’m still not fully onboard this particular fiction train.
Overall: Fans of YA fantasy fiction should check this series out. I’m sorry that it continues to fall a little flat for me 😦
Claire Huston / Art and Soul
Art and Soul 
There’s no need to apologize if it falls flat for you, Claire! We’re all unique and it’s inevitable that we will all have different experiences with different novels. ❤️
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I think the apology is more a reflection of my own disappointment! 🙂 It’s always disheartening when you can see a book has a lot going for it but for some reason you just don’t connect with it. It’s so odd!
As you say – we’re all different! 🙂
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Sorry to read you’re not enjoying this more… I haven’t read these books but the cover looks lovely!
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They have a lot going for them. I just wish I felt some connection to the characters so I could get behind them and their missions 😦
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Yes, it’s tough going when you can’t connect with characters, no matter how good a story… you just want to care and feel involved…
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Nope, I’ve had the same issue with the first book. Which is why I keep putting off reading the second one… Oops? Haha!
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Haha! I probably would have put it off longer too, but it was on one of those “new in!” displays at my library, so I scooped it up.
I’m not all that sure I’ll read the 3rd one 😦
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You’re better than me! I always feel like I have to finish a series. 😂
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Oh dear- I had the same issue with the first book- it completely fell flat for me and I too don’t give two hoots about the characters (hehe I love that phrase 😉 ) I was pretty sure I wasn’t gonna bother with this one- now I’m certain.
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I’m not sure I’ll bother with the third, and I’m pretty compulsive about finishing series! In fact, if someone would just give me the plot synopsis so I know how everything turns out, I’d be satisfied 🙂
I’m glad it’s not just me who didn’t immediately warm to the characters!
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Ahh yes I’m the same- which is one of the reasons I’m avoiding the next one, cos any mild curiosity would make me feel like I had to read on- even though I already dislike it! Yeah that was the main issue for me
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I actually DNF’d the first book
I think I wasn’t in the mood for it at the time, but now I’m thinking I just won’t be all that into it.
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I thought the same thing about the first book. I was reading a lot of YA fantasy back-to-back at the time and I wondered if maybe I didn’t enjoy it so much because I’d just read too much of the same genre. But no… it appears the characters and me just don’t get on! 😦
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