Review: I don’t know how Tahir does it, but she manages to make each new novel in the “Ember in the Ashes” series better than the last. “A Reaper at the Gates” was an absolutely amazing read and reconfirmed for me that Tahir is the queen of pulling the rug out from under her readers. There were many passages that left me reeling as a result of the twists and turns that were present. 

One aspect of “A Reaper at the Gates” that I loved was its commentary on the oppression of minority groups. While this subject was a focus in earlier books, it became more prominent in book three, which sends a powerful message to today’s young adults. 

An addition I found eerie and intriguing were chapters featuring the Nightbringer’s perspective. It was refreshing to read from the perspective of the series’ antagonist and garner an understanding of his motives. Tahir did a great job enlightening the reader without providing too much revelation, which can be tricky!

It saddens me to know that my time with this series is coming to a close! So much still meeds to be resolved and I can only hope “A Sky Beyond the Storm” will be gentle with me (though I know it won’t).