Embers We Struck

This author was so freaking nice to me that he also offered me his sequel! A home run. To me this is an exemplary sequel. Honestly a beautiful showcase of how to up the stakes, up the world building, up the characters, up the chaos, up the action. Every page keeps you turning and turning and turning for more. And the character arcs are just chef's kiss

I'd really like to highlight the author's choice of multiple POVs in first person because that choice always amazes me. Not only are you fully fleshing out characters in a world all their own, but you're becoming each one of them every time the novel gives them voice. It's a choice that not every author can commit to and nail, and this is very much so a success. 

I love the writing style in its young adult ease, but with the world crushing chaos that's taking place, they're all hit with just absolute violence. In many ways, both books are truly a coming of age story, but these characters get a baptism by fire. And talking about violence, this one amps up the body horror like you would not believe. At many points I even found it reminiscent of Nick Cutter style body terror, especially in the feral descriptions. It's so descriptive that I so easily imagined it taking place on a movie screen, and I honestly wish it would become one. Fantasy/horror is not something we get to see! 

Gods, devils, demons, ferals. When the stakes are godly, what exactly can humans do? Do they even deserve to do something? To change? This sequel shows us some political intrigue, unbeatable violence and war, betrayal, paranoia, and pain. Perhaps a small sliver of hope? 

“And when you're this low on the totem pole of human morals, those small differences strike harder.” I loved this quote from the morally decrepit character Hazel Golding, whom in being unbelievably terrible, is also lovable. 

Once again, so totally worth your time, effort, and money to obtain and read these. The covers are so mind-blowing-ly beautiful that I had to order both to have for my collection. Have you read this or the first in the duology yet??? What are you waiting for?