Memories of Ash

The Sunbolt Chronicles #2

by Intisar Khanani

In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Fiction, High Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy, Adventure

353 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2016

About the author

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. Born in Wisconsin, she has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. She currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and two young daughters. Prior to publishing her novels, Intisar worked as a public health consultant on projects relating to infant mortality and minority health, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy.

Intisar is the author of the Dauntless Path books (beginning with Thorn) and The Sunbolt Chronicles.

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Reviews

[Intisar Khanani]

Just a little teaser...



~~~

Update May 30, 2016:

It's here! It's here! Thank you all so much for waiting for this book, and for cheering me on. I really hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!

Update March 16:

I am so excited to share the cover for Memories of Ash. Isn't it gorgeous? To celebrate, I have two giveaways AND you can pre-order the e-book for just 99 cents! And Sunbolt is just 99 cents as well in celebration, if you haven't read it yet!

Pre-order Memories of Ash:
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/moa
B&N: http://smarturl.it/moabn
Apple / iTunes: http://smarturl.it/moait
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1RFbqRs
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1WzoMTb

Giveaway #1: Anyone who pre-orders Memories of Ash can receive a free digital print of Hitomi by artist Grace Fong. Just e-mail your purchase confirmation to moapreorder@gmail.com

Giveaway #2: Win a Kindle Fire plus a book-related swag pack! Enter here (through March 22): http://booksbyintisar.com/moa-reveal/

And of course, release day is May 30!

~~~
Cover reveal coming March 16, 2016--along with the e-book pre-order! Memories of Ash will be just 99 cents for the pre-order as a thank you to all you wonderful readers who have been waiting so long for it. I'll also be giving away a free digital art print of Hitomi to anyone who purchases the pre-order (more details to come). So much excitement! And of course, release day is May 30!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wild ride! Once again Ms. Khanani delivers a top notch fantasy. I am so happy that this sequel is a full length novel, as I wanted to spend as much time as possible in this amazing world. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole novel, this author has some of the best pacing that I have ever read. No boring bits in this.

I loved all of the characters in this book, even the villains. The main character is so relatable (although honestly she is probably more moral than me). Ms. Khanani's books always lift my mood so much, it's nice to have found a new auto-buy author.

If you love young adult fantasy this book is for you, it is also free from romance/insta-love/love triangles for those who detest that. The main character is intelligent without being unrealistically perfect, she has flaws without being annoying, and the character depth in this story will make you wishing that you could be best friends with Hitomi. I am in love.


Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Buy, At $1.00 for this book and $0.75 for the first one these books are a steal! I would easily pay over ten times that for these great stories.

For a chance to win a KINDLE FIRE from the author head over here https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/dis...

Check out more of my reviews here

Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[aforestofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I've said this before, but I regret not picking up this series sooner. As soon as I finished Sunbolt, I knew I needed to read the next book immediately because I could not stop thinking about this world and these characters.

Intisar writes books that are diverse, but still have that older fantasy vibe that I fell in love with as a child. I grew up reading Tamora Pierce and C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and all the other classics. My heart goes all warm and fuzzy thinking about that period of my life and those books and how attached I became to the world and the characters. The only thing that was lacking was diversity and representation that I could relate to. I think one of the reasons I'm so hesitant about reading newer YA releases is because of how romance-focused publishing has become, which is definitely influenced by booktok. Tropes sell. And enemies-to-lovers and smut in YA is a thing now, and if you don't have either of those or the other tropes that people are obsessed with, publishing won't want your book. It's actually really sad.

Intisar's books feel so refreshing but also familiar. And this book was no different.

I had trouble putting it down because I was so immersed in what was happening and what was going to happen. Hitomi is now one of my all-time favourite characters. She dives right into trouble, determined to help the people she loves even at the expense of her own life. She's definitely a "main character" in the sense her magic doesn't act like other mages, but she's down-to-earth and loveable because she doesn't see herself as above the people around her.

Because I'm obsessed with one (1) fanfic series, aka The Rigel Black Chronicles, I spent the entirety of this book feeling like Hitomi was just like Rigel Black/Harriet Potter. And Kenta is Leo. The similarities were striking and honestly made me scream sometimes. So I've totally done my best to convince the HGSS discord server to read the series.

The one-line that really summarizes this book and also The Rigel Black Chronicles:

"Even though you have the annoying habit of nearly getting yourself killed for other people on a regular basis."

Just AHHHHHsdjfsklfjskf

Anyway, back to the book. As a Tamora Pierce fan–this is not shocking–my least favourite book of hers was A Woman Who Rides Like a Man because of the Bazhir rep. And while Tammy has addressed this, it is still something I have to brace myself for every time I pick up that book.

Memories of Ash though is 'what if A Woman Who Rides Like a Man was done well'. The plot is not exactly the same, but we do get a glimpse of the desert tribes and their hospitality. Their culture is clearly influenced by Middle Eastern/Arab culture. And it was done so well! It actually made me smile and so happy, and I have a feeling we're going to see even more in the third book, which makes me even more excited.

I think I mentioned in my review for Sunbolt how resourceful Hitomi is. Well, that doesn't stop in this book. Whenever I know Hitomi has a plan or is up to something, but as the reader we don't exactly know all the details yet, I get so giddy. It does remind me a lot of Rigel, so that's probably why, but also, there's something so thrilling about not knowing what the character is up to, but also knowing at the same time that whatever they're going to do will be epic in some way. I just love Hitomi so much and get so excited whenever she's planning how to take down evil people.

I think my favourite side characters were the lycan guards, especially Osman Bey. I just had a feeling about them and it turned out to be right and I'm still sdfdksjfsdklf about their role in this book.

We finally get to see some old friends again, which was so bittersweet because Hitomi doesn't have a lot of her memories. I really, really love Kenta so much and his determination to not let Hitomi do things on her own and protect her was also very Leo-esque. We also get to see a reunion of a sorts, that was more painful than I was expecting. And we get to see a certain breather again!!!

Honestly the interrogation scene under the truth-spell was probably my favourite scene in this book. I get chills thinking about it.

Hitomi herself goes through so much in this book, but I also thinks she learns to accept help from others instead of trying to do everything on her own. She still struggles with putting others at risk, but by the end I think she learns that people are more than capable of understanding risk and it's not her job to try and protect everyone all the time.

I cannot wait to see what happens next. I miss this world and these characters already and I can't stop thinking about them. I wish the third book was already out in the world, but I'm even more excited to reread this series. Also, I badly need a map of this world. LIKE BADLY.

10/5 stars for this book.

[Kseniya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book with a Backbone

I consume a lot of fantasy and consider myself a thoughtful, discerning reader, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me that I had previously failed to appreciate just how prevalent in the genre is the convenient disposable character. This is perhaps the first book I've read, among years of fantasy reading, where the protagonist does not consider her own successful escape and happy ending to be worth another person's life. Shocking concept!

As with most fantasy, there is a quest with overwhelming obstacles and it takes the main character significant cleverness to find ways out of impossible situations. Where this books takes a drastic turn is in holding to Actual Morals. Yes, things are dire, yes, they are life-and-death, and yes, it's a major miracle that suddenly there is a solution. Except that the solution requires disposing of one of the disposables and that's just not worth the price. So the protagonist chooses to shoulder the consequences and protect the lives of her enemies.

It is amazing what it does for a novel to have that kind of spine. The actions and the emotions are so much more vital because there are absolute boundaries to what is possible and, no, the truth and rules of engagement cannot stretch to accommodate whatever is convenient. The story is vivid, believable and flows. The world is crystal clear before my eyes. The characters, too, are believable and grounded, compete with their conflicting motivations and imperfect information and judgment. I also really love that Hitomi has a bone-deep rejection of prejudices and an instinctive respect for different cultures. It's a pleasure reading through her lens, not only because she is a wonderful character, excellently written, but because I actually respect her and all her motivations and decisions. I can say the same for several other major characters.

The plot is creative and suspenseful. Very creative. I could not even try to predict the outcomes of the many many dilemmas that could have each been the central tangle in many novels but, here, were one of many. I love that Hitomi is not a quitter or a whiner. Her reaction to being at the end of the line is: ok, let's see what can be done here - I'm not done until I'm done.

I very purposefully did not let myself re-read Sunbolt, so I could let this book stand on it's own in my mind and it absolutely did that - stand strongly on it's own. History from the first book is woven into this one organically and elegantly. Having said that, I'm going to run off to re-read Sunbolt right now because I doubt Intisar can finish Book 3 by tomorrow and I need more! It's too good a story and I want to live in it a bit longer.

(I received an early review copy from the author in return for an honest review. This has not in any way influenced my review.)

[Shy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you pick up this book, be prepared to read it one go because you won't be able to put it down.

The sequel to Sunbolt has been well worth the wait. The story picks up a year after the end of Sunbolt with Hitomi studying under Stormwind in the quiet tranquility of her valley. But that tranquility is disturbed from the very first word of the novel (literally!) and from there the story just keeps picking up the pace and tension. Hitomi may have lost most of her memories and her past, but she is unerringly guided by her sense of honour, even when it comes at the highest personal cost to her. This clearly has a way of constantly getting her into trouble, but just as in Sunbolt her selfless actions won her unlikely aid from a breather, in Memories of Ash Hitomi's unassuming but unwavering moral compass attracts support where she least expects it.

In this novel Intisar takes us to a new corner of the Eleven Kingdoms, giving us a taste of the desert and its people and city on its edge housing the Mage School. We also get an insight into the stratified and privileged (and not-so-subtly fractured) world of mages and the High Council. Archmage Blackflame continues to shadow the plot as the archetypal, greedy, power-hungry villain of the piece, but the real damage to Hitomi comes from others who are much more three dimensional. They are people who are not inherently evil but who are merely trying to do their job according to where their own loyalties and agendas lie, from the lycan guards to the mages tasked with carrying out the Council's sentence. This adds additional poignancy and depth to the events in the novel. We meet fascinating new characters that (now that I am finished with the novel) I am dying to see again in the next installment, and are delightfully reunited with some old ones from Sunbolt. And through it all, we are carried by Hitomi's inner strength and conviction. "When you choose a path, you must walk it with courage" she is told early on in the novel by a travelling companion. This might as well be Hitomi's motto and it definitely encapsulates the entire book accurately and concisely.

All in all, this is a powerful work that, in my opinion, places Intisar Khanani well on the road to joining the ranks of well-established YA fantasy writers in talent and imagination.

Now for the disclaimers - I have to state that I received an advanced review copy from the author in return for an honest review. But this has not in any way influenced my review because even before getting the ARC I had already pre-ordered my very own copy on Amazon. I have read earlier drafts of this novel and it has been a privilege to watch Intisar weave her magic and see the story evolve and get perfected into the present novel.

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put it down!

[Katrina Southern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intisar Khanani is quickly proving to be a relentlessly, consistently fantastic author. I've read four of her works now, and while they are sometimes short, they never disappoint. My first read was in fact the novella that proceeds this full-length masterpiece, 'Sunbolt', and despite it's very short length I loved it so much that I eagerly awaited the release of this book which Khanani promised would be a lot longer. She delivered and while it took me a while to read considering I got hold of it not long after it's release in May, it was SO worth the wait. 'Sunbolt' was a gorgeous introduction to a promising world and character set, and the development found here was even better!

Hitomi remained a clever, likeable heroine and a prime example of my favourite thing about Khanani's books: strong, female characters. I liked meeting the other characters in the book too, and there was quite the colourful, fun cast to become acquainted with. Particular favourites included the re-introduction of the cast of 'Sunbolt': Val, Stormwind, Tanuki, as well as some new faces such as Osman Bey, Stonefall, the Phoenix and Huda. The world itself has received a lot of attention too from Khanani and I was pleased to see more explanation on the strange creatures that live there, the history, the laws of their magic and of course the politics. Hitomi travelled to a fair few places so I'm excited about the prospect of her discovering more in the next book!

Honestly, there wasn't really an awful lot that I didn't like about this book. Khanani did an absolutely cracking job and now, sadly, I have to wait until the next book is released or until the first of 'The Theft Of Sunlight' series is released, which is the first in a companion trilogy to 'Thorn'. I will never stop recommending Khanani's books because I think they are an often overlooked, fantastic contribution to the diverse, fantastical YA world.

5 Stars.

For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot...

[Javeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memories of Ashes takes place a year after Sunbolt – Hitomi has been learning under Brigit Stormwind. Until one day a rogue mage hunter visits to escort Stormwind to the Council for a trial. Knowing Blackflame is behind the charges Hitomi decides to break Stromwind free.

MoA is one of the best books I’ve read this year; I am still on a high from it. I cannot even begin to describe my love for it. This high fantasy is nothing like I’ve read before – it probably has to do with romance usually playing a major role – but in this there was hardly any. A full length novel about a girl travelling the land with the help of allies.

Hitomi is a really likeable protagonist – she’s strong, witty, loyal, intelligent, and flawed. Hitomi has a habit of getting into situations without much planning, and while that may usually seem annoying it isn’t with Hitomi – she acknowledges that it is a flaw – and to do the right thing is more important to her. Despite regaining some of her memories she was still haunted with the deaths she caused and refuse to take anymore; it was very humane of her.

The political plot was quite interesting as well, usually I steer clear of politics but Khanani’s writing made it really fascinating. The fight for power, the will to save one’s own skin even if it means losing one’s soul, the deception and manipulation, were really well immersed with the story. There was so much to learn – if something is not fully unveiled it is best to trust one’s gut.

While this was not heavy on the romance, this did have some really beautiful bonds – whether they’re familial, friendships, or alliances. This was a breath of fresh air from the usual fantasy books I've read. The bond between Hitomi and Stromwind gave me some paternal feels, and it was nice for Hitomi to have someone to guide her after being alone so long. I didn’t realise how much I missed Kenta until he showed up; I loved their relationship in Sunbolt and I love it even more after MoA. Val and Hitomi’s relationship is so unique and special – the trust between the two is beautiful.

I know I said I’m happy that this barely had any romance, but I’m a romantic at heart and I need to share my opinion. In Sunbolt we were introduced to the Ghost, and I feel in love with them after reading their first scene. Hitomi and Ghost give me so many Kaz and Inej feels. Though there was only mentions of the Ghost I’m hoping we’ll meet him again in the next book. I’m definitely rooting for these two, and I hope we get like a secondary/tertiary romance plot with them.

Khanani’s writing is remarkable; she kept me on the edge of my seat, fully immersed in the story, without a care of what was going around me. She has the perfect mixture of plot, world building, and character development. We were introduced to many new characters and they weren’t without reason, everything tied up. I am in awe with her writing.

I received an arc of this from the author in exchange of an honest review.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early review copy from the author in return for an honest review. This has not in any way influenced my review.

I’m thrilled to be reviewing an advance copy of Memories of Ash! I love Intisar Khanani’s writing so much: I feel like she’s someone similar to me, who got fed up with the clichés and stereotypes plaguing YA. So she up and wrote the book she (we) wanted to read.

So! Memories of Ash. The second book in The Sunbolt Chronicles introduces a whole new city and a whole new host of characters – though a few old friends show up, too. Much like the first book, the story cracks along right from the beginning, with Hitomi quickly being thrown/leaping into another adventure.

Khanani describes the Sunbolt Chronicles as a serial instead of a series, so while the books are all connected and having an overarching storyline, each book also has a distinct plot. I’ve read plenty of trilogies where book 1 is introduction, book 2 is everything getting worse, and book 3 is everything getting fixed, usually through a Final Battle. Happily, MoA (Memories of Ash, not the Mall of America) steers away from that.

A few of the other things I loved:

- In Book 1, Hitomi lost her memories. In Book 2, there’s no familiar smell or phrase that brings them all suddenly rushing back. Not everything is fixable, and Hitomi herself doesn’t expect all her memories to return. There are real consequences.
- Hitomi has lots of male friends. Hitomi does not fall in love with all her male friends, and they do not all fall in love with Hitomi. Why does this have to be so rare?
- Killing people is a big deal. Hitomi is still haunted by those in Book 1 whose deaths she feels responsible for. So she’s wholly committed to not killing again, even if that puts her in some tight spots.
- The culture! I love how the setting is primarily based on the Middle East/Northern Africa. I love sharing the beauty of Hitomi’s world, and it’s a good reminder of the simple fact that what’s familiar to me isn’t familiar to everyone. The spices that smell foreign to me smell like home to someone else.
- Hitomi is smart! She makes plans instead of running around willy-nilly and forcing someone to rescue her. Competent heroines are my favorite.

To sum things up, MoA is a fun read that steers clear of a lot of YA clichés and provides a heroine both competent and compassionate.

[Jacquelyn Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t say this lightly: Intisar Khanani might be my favorite author. I want to live in her fictional worlds and befriend her main characters. I love the balance of light and dark, hope and despair, and the way her characters deal with the consequences of their actions (no deus ex machina here!). I can’t wait for the next book in this series, and I’m looking forward to her new release later this month!

[Bryony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the characters. I love the world. I love the author. Please never stop writing!

I wish I could have read it all in one go but being a student again has really taken the wind out of my sails (so to speak).

I can't WAIT for Sunbolt 3!

[Lonleypurplecat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review 5/6/16:

I was expecting a lot from this book so that might be why I'm a little dissapointed. This is not to say that the book is badly written. The writing is beautiful and flows well. It's just missing a spark that I was hoping to find. There was always something happening, but I did not feel the rising tension or the excitement that one is supposed to feel at the climax of the book. I really liked Val in the previous book and was dissapointed that he didn't have a much larger role in this book. The parts that he was in were, in my opinion, the best and most interesting parts of the book (and that's saying a lot because he technically never made a physical appearance). But that may be just because well, 1) I like him and 2) I feel like the concept of breathers is very interesting and is worth exploring further. I only hope that he has a much larger role in the next book especially now that we know that he and Hitomi share a special bond. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this series (and hoping for more Ghost and Val).

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Replace the hammer/shield with Memories of Ash and you will get a fair representation of me (sans funny costumes and abs).

[a_tiffyfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Sunbolt which had been sitting on my kindle for a while; I knew that this was releasing soon and preferred to wait so I could read them back to back.
I was definitely not disappointed.
Picking up shortly after the ending of the SUNBOLT, Hitomi and her mage teacher Stormwind are visited by an old friend of Stormwind. A rogue mage hunter. Stormwind is escorted off to stand trial, leaving Hitomi behind. Still missing a large part of her memories, Hitomi is still Hitomi and sets off to rescue her teacher and friend.
This series is adventurous and magical. I love who Hitomi is and I love how she puts others before her self. I was delighted that we were reunited with a few characters from SUNBOLT, although her old enemy is alive and well and at the heart of the evil building up tensions, etc.
I cannot wait to read more and see what becomes of Hitomi and Val and Stormwind and the Phoenix and the council and and and...
In some ways, I wish I hadn't discovered this series until several years from now so that I don't have to wait for the next book. LOL
Enjoyable reads with plenty of adventure and a nice blend of cultures.

[Catherine Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is even better than the first book! There is more character development for Hitomi, and it was nice to see all the seemingly isolated events and characters in the first book appear again and be so nicely woven together. I’d love to read a third book of Hitomi’s adventures!

[Charlotte Kersten]

This was a delight! In my review of Sunbolt I mentioned appreciating its efffectiveness as a novella, but it turns out I am just as happy with a nice, chunky full-length novel about Hitomi too.
Tight pacing, vivid world-building and a compelling writing style all make this a winner in my books, but the most important thing about this series to me is Hitomi herself-she is a character of such determination and principle. I love her strong sense of morality and seeing the ripple effects of her integrity throughout the course of this book was a real pleasure.
Highly recommended for lovers of YA fantasy!

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 16 - available for pre-order for .99 at Amazon … WOO HOO!!!!

[Alex Can Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

My one and only complaint about the first book in this series, Sunbolt, was that it was too short. Thankfully, Memories of Ash has rectified that problem and is fully novel-length.

Memories of Ash was another fantastic read, and I am now going to go find and devour everything else by Ms. Khanani while I wait for the unnamed book 3.

Hitomi's adventures are a fun read. The central theme of "honor" that runs throughout the story is a strong driving force both for the character (s) and the plot. I can't wait to see where the rest of the story goes.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has not influenced my thoughts in any way.

Writing Style, Plot, Worldbuilding
Memories of Ash follows Hitomi on her journey to save her mentor, Stormwind, an unjust charges of treason. Won't delve into the plot too much because this is an advanced review and I don't want to spoil things. To start, I want to say, however, that the pacing was very slow until around 20%. In fact, it was incredibly hard for me to get into the story until after 20%, at which point things sped up and I could engage relatively well. I'm also not sure how I feel about the writing. I had trouble getting immersed in her writing for the last book as well but I think the dragging within the plot and pacing made it more difficult for me in this book. We get too much detail about things that I don't find very relevant and that ends up dragging things out which in turn affects the pacing. I remember for the last book, I said many times that I wished it was longer. This book is longer but, it feels like it was done by adding alot of description for random things that don't seem very conducive to the plot. World building in regards to magic was also kinda confusing at times, the magic system doesn't seem very defined. While we get some explanations, I feel like I still don't have a solid grasp of how exactly the magic in this world works. I do, however, feel that the world building in regards to the culture of the land was well done. So this would be the segment related to the dessert people. I felt like that this segment was well written and felt very rich and authentic. Plot wise, as I mentioned, very slow pacing in the beginning but does pick up. It seems the majority of this book is a journey story and, while these can be interesting, they can often be difficult to keep entertaining.

Characters

Characters are probably the strongest points of this novel. I think Intisar writes her characters very well. I also want to mention again that we have diverse characters in this book and I really appreciate that. Representation is really important to me and I think Intisar does this well.

Hitomi is smart and level headed. She makes good decisions for the most part and I think she has a strong sense of justice. This series is a story of Hitomi coming to terms with herself, it's a story of growth and development and I really appreciate this theme in YA. I like that it's not romance focused (in fact, I do wish there was a bit of romance sorry I'm a sucker for that). I like that friendship is a strong theme within this book and it's refreshing to see that friends and mentors aren't just thrown in to make it look like the main character isn't a loner and actually has a life but rather, are actually a part of their life. I do, however, feel that certain parts (not super spoilery but will put it under tags just in case) such as her feelings towards her mother and her strong feelings towards not killing things/people was a bit...stiff, it didn't feel natural - not sure if thats the right word. But it felt kinda forced. Nonetheless, she is a level headed and competent heroine. She caught me off guard at one point, I should have known better (I know) but I thought she would react to something in a certain way that would have me cringing but she didn't so that really pleased me.

My favourite character was Val, however. Basically my feelings for this book shot up to the skies the instant he came back into the picture. His banter with Hitomi is wonderful and I'm not sure if they're a ship or will be a ship THE BOND, THE BOND OMG. This has to be a ship okay. (I do hope so please Intisar) but their relationship absolutely shines and I just love their banter. He's still quite mysterious to be honest but I think the author paints a fairly good picture of who he is despite his secrets. I really hope he's more present in the next book.

Kenta was also a cute addition to the novel, I quite like him. His dedication to Hitomi is quite endearing. Oh and this is off topic but I also really liked Osman Bey (MORE LIKE OSMAN BAE). I'm not sure if he's going to be more significant and I'm not sure why I liked him so much but he's such an interesting character I hope we see him more.

Overall
I think my biggest issue with this book was that I felt like I was just sitting on the edge the entire book. I don't know how better to put this than to say that I didn't get alot of feels from this? LOL. I had moments I enjoyed, yes, but I didn't feel incredibly excited and that's what kinda pushed me away from an actual 4 star rating. However, I will say that usually for 3 star-tier books I don't round up decimals but I did round up for this book because I think it has potential and handles certain things well and that is the characters. The characters gave this book life and redeemed alot of the issues I had with some of the other stuff. All in all a pleasant read. Will read the next book to see how things go because I things ended off at a very interesting point which will, hopefully, set the next book up for faster pacing and give the plot more intrigue.

[Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m convinced that Intisar Khanani can do no wrong.

[Sefunmi Oladumiye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memories of Ash (MoA) is a fantastic sequel to the first book Sunbolt. The book starts out with a slow burning suspense which builds and builds to boiling point by 3/4th of the book. It literally had me screaming. It is a thrilling story filled with intrigue, magic, fantasy creatures and interesting places, all well described by the author. Intisar Khanani is a very good storyteller, who drops unsuspecting hints here and there, that after reading this book, I went back and reread parts of Sunbolt. This book has a really nice fantasy vibe; you can really picture this world of the Eleven Kingdoms, and there are also nice touches of humor in this book.

Hitomi is back, even though not all of her memory is. I feel the author handled this in a believable way. From how Sunbolt ended, we got the impression that Mistress Stormwind would be a good teacher to Hitomi. And she was, so much so that when Stormwind is called to face charges brought against her by Blackfame, the enemy of the Shadow League, Hitomi decides to save her from certain imprisonment.

Hitomi is a very likable, well rounded character, whose attributes and flaws play very well into the story. Here is my take on the book:
Hitomi is very brave. In this book she does a lot things that I felt were suicidal, yet she had the guts to plan and attempt them. She is once again a very caring character who cares about saving people's lives, and she doesn't give up which is so inspiring. Her take on magical spells is so unconventional that she leaves people around her shocked. She seriously knows how to think on her feet.

Her flaws walk hand in hand with her attributes. Hitomi has a bit of a savior-complex. She feels it is her job to save everybody. In this book, She wants to save Stormwind, to save a source slave, to save one of Blackfame's mage who in turn tries to kill her , etc. This savior complex is very dangerous because it borders on pride, and I worry it may one day be used by her enemies to trap for her.

She's a bit shortsighted though, not preparing for the long term consequences of her actions. I don't think she has considered how her deception will affect other people's lives, emotions and jobs. I think the scene with the truth spell is a great picture of what I'm trying to say.

Furthermore, I feel she harshly judges the president of the High council, High mage Talon, because Talon has the foresight to prepare for the consequences of her actions while Hitomi does not. As someone who has criticized those in power and then to be criticized myself as a leader, I wonder if Hitomi will learn that the former is very easy while the latter is very hard. I also wonder whether she will come to realize that someone not doing things your way doesn't make them wrong or you right. I believe if Hitomi would consider her own flaws and the wrong things she has done in order to save lives, she may be more understanding of Talon. I look forward to seeing more of Talon's storyline, especially given revelations that come to light about Stormwind.
Nevertheless, Hitomi's is a very likable character because there is a real selflessness about her. I'm excited to see her take on things and to watch her grow, which I have no doubt she will in her unconventional manner .

This brings me to my next point about what else I liked about MoA. Every character, whether we meet them for only one chapter, carries some sort of intrigue around them. This is the case with Talon and other characters like Nightblade, Hitomi's mother etc. However the most interesting character is Val, the breather we met in Sunbolt, I'm so happy he's interwoven into MoA because I felt that his and Hitomi's escape from Kol tower in Sunbolt was the most intense experience of that whole book. Even more revelations and mystery arise where Val is concerned. One thing that has been making me ponder is Hitomi saying (about Val):

"I'd forgotten how tall he is, forgotten the inhuman grace with which he moves, forgotten those eyes. I'm no longer sure I should meet them as naively as I did a year ago when he was my only ally ……"

Hmmm……(a little smile on my lips)

I received an early review copy from the author in return for an honest review. This has not in any way influenced my review.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! I don't understand why it's not more well known. I can't wait to read book 3!

[Pili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading my eARC of Memories of Ash as soon as I finished Sunbolt! I was very glad to have waited and read both books back to back because even if the ending of Sunbolt was not a massive cliffhanger and Memories of Ash doesn't start exactly were Sunbolt left us, no wait between stories that you are loving is always the best option!

Intisar's writing is fantastic, it's the kind that keeps you fully immersed in the story and that mixes descriptions with character development and moving the plot along. You might not be sure why a new character is introduced but she never does anything randomly, all dots will connect somehow at some point, and usually in rather unexpected but never unreasonable ways!

Hitomi is a fantastic character, she does have a tendency to get into things without all that much planning and plotting, but it's so much forgivable when she herself acknowledge it as a flaw in her character but one that goes hand in hand with her need to do what's right and to never take a life. She has got so much better at working with her magic although it seems that she doesn't realize how powerful she really is.

The political threads that we saw in Sunbolt here are explored more in depth and we see more of the fight for power and how it is possible for someone to continue to achieve power and control by manipulation and using others' support and even using their neutrality for their own means. We are shown that not taking a stand against what is wrong can be as bad as supporting it, and that gives us quite a bit of food for thought.

There is no real romance, even if there's a few hints of something that might or might not come to pass in the rest of the series, but there are plenty of other relationships and alliances to keep us engaged and wondering in some of the cases. Complex familial relationships, alliances and friendships from the past that need to be figured anew and rekindled or left behind... And new friendships and alliances that are introduced and forged here.

One of the best things for me in this book is that the plot was never easy to figure out or predict, even if some isolated parts of it were to be expected, you just never knew what would happen, and even the things you expected don't happen in the way you'd think they would!

My review might have been a bit vague but I wanted to make sure I didn't end up spoiling anything for anyone if I ended up talking a bit too enthusiastically about certain characters or events, but let me tell you that this series (and author) are very much worth checking out if you love fantasy!

Very much deserved 4.5 stars, cannot wait for book 3!

[Michelle (Bookaholic Banter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was outstanding and deserves a standing ovation! I can't stop thinking about how fantastic and fun this was. The first book in the series was interesting and creative, but this one blew the first book out of the water! This book picks up basically right where the first book leaves off and it's non-stop action and adventure from the first page to the last. It was so much fun to read.

Just when you think it can't get any better, it does. New characters, and more mythical creatures are introduced in this story. The magic is whimsical and imaginative. The plot line thickens and the characters become even more fleshed out.

Hitomi is a wonderful heroine. She is caring and puts others first. I really fell in love with her in this book and she is EASILY becoming one of my favorite YA female characters. The world building in this book is spectacular. I can see everything in my mind perfectly. The story flows perfectly. It was fast-paced and kept me reading and on the edge of my seat. I did not want to put this book down for anything. I enjoyed every moment of it.

This is a story that can easily be enjoyed by everyone. It was written in a tasteful manner without needless profanity. It was well thought out. This is one of those books where you will savor every moment and will want to read all over again. There's no sappy romance in this story and you will not miss it one bit! This book was so perfect it doesn't even need the romance. This is one of those book that will make a non-reader become a reader. This type of book makes you forget about watching television. You don't need to watch a show or movie when you can read a book like this and see everything come alive in your mind.

When it comes to reading books in a series I can usually wait patiently for the next book to come out. I'm not one to go all crazy in waiting. That is so not going to be the case this time. I DO NOT want to wait for the next book in this series, I need it now! I will be highly anticipating and impatiently waiting to get my hands on the third book.

*Stop by my Blog Tour Post for an Excerpt and Enter to Win a Kindle and a Swag Bundle!

*I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Rebecca]

This was fantastic. Intisar Khanani has quickly established herself as one of my favorite authors after the awesome Sunbolt and now Memories of Ash.

This book was SO good. Everything was good. The world was intriguing and complex; I loved seeing more of it. In this book, Hitomi travels to other regions and it's SUCH a pleasure learning about the rich and varied cultures in the book. You could easily tell which real world culture the author drew inspiration from, and it was really respectful and careful. I really loved that. The writing was good -- certain descriptions were particularly lyrical; the descriptions of working magic in particular are so evocative. (I love the magic system in this world.)

And the characters and the relationships!! I love Hitomi. She's moral, soft, firm, kind. There's a strength to her that lies in her firm morality and compassion. Hitomi reminded of Ilona Andrews's Kate Daniels because of how they are both protectors and rescuers, and how they cleave to their morals and compassion when tested. I love reading about characters like that. She also reminds me of the narrative arc of The Goblin Emperor's Maia -- it's less about learning to become a better person, and more about finding a place in the world, forming relationships, gaining a found family. And that's exactly what happens to Hitomi. I really love narratives like that. Hitomi's growing relationships are wonderful to read. I'm especially curious about Val. I wonder where the author is going with it.

Anyway, this was a great book and I felt so happy reading this. I can't wait for the last book.

[Melissa Sasina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say that Memories of Ash does not disappoint in the slightest and held me completely enthralled for the past few days. There is plenty of action to keep Hitomi busy as she makes her way through one predicament after another, all of which I am sure will make her a much stronger person as the series continues. Struggling with having lost plenty of her memories in the previous book, Hitomi still remains strong. The conflict she faces, her motivations, her reluctance are all believable and make me feel for her character even more. I love how Hitomi holds strong to her own personal morals, even if at times she must bear making choices she doesn't want to make for the sake of what she believes in. I do love how a certain bonds of Hitomi's past are not completely forgotten to fall into a void. As not to give away spoilers, I was sad that a certain supporting character only had, as I will call it, a "speaking part." Although, I am quite certain we haven't seen the last of him. another side character that actually caught my eye and immense interest is Stonefall. I really do hope to see more of him in the future. Memories of Ash stands well on its own, giving enough glimpses into the happenings of the previous book that a new reader can pick it up without any problem. I would highly recommend Memories of Ash, as well as its predecessor Sunbolt, lovers of fantasy.

Disclaimer: I received an early review copy from the author in return for an honest review. This has not in any way influenced my review.

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Sunbolt Chronicles is another excellent read. As with Book 1, I relished the eastern-flavoured fantasy world and the no-nonsense heroine. It feels a little surreal to say it, but here we are on Book 2, and the heroine has all these meaningful relationships with male characters of all ages and still not a hint of romance (as she's too busy saving the world). It's not that I don't like romance, it's just that YA romances are so often so frenzied.

I also enjoyed the concept of honour which forms a major theme in this book, and it was interesting to see the author's treatment of something which has become somewhat alien to the western mind and imagination.

If I had one nitpick, it would be that this book isn't as light and tight and pared down as the previous book, which was a very pacy novella. But those of you who don't have tiny, shrivelled hearts like mine will just enjoy the extra time spent with the characters.

[Marzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edited March 17, 2017: I nominated Memories of Ash for best novel in 2016, Hugo Awards.

I loved the second Sunbolt book. I didn't want it to end and read so slowly, as a result. After initially feeling Hitomi's aloneness keenly, and her loss of self because of her loss of her history, it was wonderful to see how her reconnections were made with her past, and to preserve her future. To say more would be to offer up spoilers.

I hope there will be more Sunbolt books! Intisar Khanani has given us this rich world of complex characters and complex alliances. I still have so many questions I need answered!

I was so sad thinking of Hitomi's situation (though comfortable) at the end. I want more Phoenix, justice for Blackflame, answers about WHY for Brokensword, more Val, more Stormwind, more Kenta, and most of all, more of Hitomi, herself.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting patiently for book three is going to be a huge challenge. But oh-so worth it.

5/5

[Tilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I have been rather addicted to Intisar Khanani's books recently and this addition is certainly no different! I loved the first book Sunbolt SO much that I worried that this would not live up to it. Although it was quite a different story with a lot of political aspects, I was gripped from the word go and couldn't put it down!

Memories of Ash takes off pretty much where Sunbolt left off. I don't want to say too much about the story because I don't want to ruin Sunbolt for new readers in any way.
However the general story involves a lot of magic via Mages, shifters and many other weird and wonderful creatures! I adored the magical aspects in particular and loved hearing about all the spells and glamours. I expect the next book will feature a lot of magic, whereas this books featured a lot of politics, planning and action! This is an arabic based world and I love the underlying cultural aspects too, it adds a lot to the world building and makes the story have more depth.

The characters written by Intisar always steal my heart and out lead female protagonist Hitomi is no different. She is seriously clever, brave and mentally strong and her actions are led by her incredibly caring nature. But she is not without fault, and doesn't always succeed/win and that makes her realistic. There was also a sprinkling of humour too which I liked. There is also a growing connection between her and another character which I really like and I hope that relationship blooms in the next book.
The side characters play such HUGE roles in this book. From the heroes and the innocent to the villains and the mislead, they all has great characters and each play an important role.

The writing is beautiful. I did think the first 25% was a little slow moving but the rest is so well paced and has a lyrical quality at times. There are also some wonderful quoteable lines!

Overall I am over the moon with this second installment and the ending has me DESPERATE for the next book already! I highly recommend this series to fantasy fans!

Please note that I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tindra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay wow... just wow! This book completely blew me away.

I am so happy that the writer decided to turn this book into a full length novel. Probably one of my favorite series of all time, and I have read a lot of books!

Hitomi, the main character, is just plain wonderful and I felt like I was there with her the whole time. She is still struggling with making the right decisions and I think she grew a lot in this book. She finally came to terms with the fact that she needs to accept help from other people. This is a big deal since she has up until now always risked her own life for others but never wanted anyone to do the same for her. However, she is still having a hard time with this and will rather do things alone instead of her friends risking their well being for her.

This is why I love Hitomi. She is the most selfless, tenacious and self-sufficient character I have ever read about. Although the writer never makes you feel like she is a martyr or "to holy".

A close second to the wonderfulness that is Hitomi are the secondary characters. Every single character is written beautifully and I can't wait to read more about them in the upcoming sequel. I even love the characters that only briefly showed up in the story, like Huda's little sister or Esra.

And lastly, I loved the pacing of the story and the action! There were even a few moments where I found myself holding my breath. Hitomi is always trying to pull of some great non achievable heist and sometimes it kinda reminds me of some fantasy themed Oceans Eleven. With one person. With magic. Do I need to continue or is this not enough to describe how awesome this book is?

This book is just soooo good. I greatly recommend it to anyone and if you don't read it you are stupid.

My one and only problem: Waiting for the sequel!